Turkey to go on with fight against terrorism

ANKARA (A.A) - February 8, 2012 - Turkey's interior minister said on Wednesday that Turkey would continue countering terrorism. Idris Naim Sahin defined terrorism as the most important threat against state of law, democratic system and individual freedoms, and expressed the government's determination to combat terrorism. "As the government, we will continue our fight against terrorism without making any concessions of our democratic acquisitions, human rights and rule of law," Sahin said during a meeting of governors in Ankara. Sahin said the government would go on taking measures to build confidence in the state, and refrain from any steps that could polarize citizens. Moreover, Sahin said Turkey had paid 2.6 billion Turkish liras (1.49 billion USD) to citizens who were affected by terrorism as of end of December 2011.