Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has condemned the recent suicide bombings in Turkey which left 27 people dead and injured hundreds, saying the attacks tarnished Islam.

"I am greatly saddened at the loss of so many innocent lives in the truck bomb attacks in Istanbul on Thursday.

"On behalf of the government and the people of Malaysia, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to your excellency's government and the people of Turkey, and the families of those killed or injured in these mindless attacks," Abdullah said in comments quoted by official news agency Bernama late Saturday.

"Such attacks have also further tarnished the name of Islam which is a religion of peace."

Malaysia, with a large Muslim population, is the chair of the Organisation of Islamic Conference.

Cowardly acts

Describing the attacks as "cowardly acts," Abdullah said they "should not weaken our resolve to combat the scourge of terrorism, which is indeed one of the greatest security challenges facing the world today".

Two explosions rocked Turkey's largest city of Istanbul Thursday.

One destroyed part of the British consulate in the historic district of Beyoglu while the other hit the headquarters of the British-owned HSBC bank in the business district of Levent.

Turkey's Anatolia news agency said an anonymous telephone caller had claimed responsibility for the attacks on behalf of the al-Qaeda terror group and the Islamic Front of Raiders of the Great Orient. - AFP