Ankara - An armed attack outside the US consulate in Istanbul in July was carried out by members of al-Qaeda, the private Dogan news agency reported on Wednesday.

The claim was made in an indictment released Wednesday in which prosecutor Fikret Secen said he would be seeking jail terms up to 15 years for two people allegedly connected to the shoot-out that left three police officers and the three attackers dead.

Witnesses of the July 9 attack said a car slowed down and stopped outside the main gate of the consulate in the suburb of Istinye. Three men got out of the car and fired at police, starting a firefight that lasted between seven and eight minutes.

The trial of the two men allegedly connected to the attack is set to start soon, Dogan reported. (dpa)