November 17, 2003 -- Al Qaeda claimed responsibility yesterday for the savage truck-bomb attacks that killed 23 people at two synagogues in Turkey.

In a statement to an Arabic-language newspaper in London, the terror group said it carried out the blasts because agents of the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad, were at the synagogues.

It was not known if that was the case.

The claim of responsibility came as new details of the Istanbul attacks emerged, including that one of the bombers got away unscathed.

Israeli officials said the terror fiend drove his explosives-laden truck to the steps of the Neven Shalom synagogue and parked it there, explaining to a cop who stopped him that he was having car trouble and needed to go get help.

The vehicle then detonated after he walked away, killing the cop and others.

As for the other blast, officials said bits of flesh on the steering wheel of one of the trucks provided a DNA match to one of two bodies found with wires attached to them at that scene.

The blasts, which occurred during Sabbath prayers Saturday, took place a few minutes and three miles apart.

At least 23 people were killed, six of them Jews. The rest were Muslim passers-by. More than 300 were wounded.

Officials said each truck carried 880 pounds of explosives, which were hidden in containers wrapped in sacks and surrounded by detergent containers. (Copyright 2003 NYP Holdings, Inc. 11/17/03)