A Turk hurled two hand grenades at the US consulate in the southern Turkish city of Adana -- allegedly to protest at Israel's crackdown on Palestinian militants -- causing an explosion but no injuries, local officials said. The assailant, who threw the grenades after being stopped at a security checkpoint, was immediately detained by police and admitted responsibility for the attack, Adana Governor Kemal Onal said on NTV television. "There is no damage and no injuries," the governor said. The man, identified as Cumali Kocatepe, hurled two hand grenades at the mission when he was stopped for a security check as he was ostensibly waiting to apply for immigration to the United States. Only one grenade exploded outside the compound, while the second was detonated by police, Onal said. "Everything is under control... The US consul thanked us for our quick response," he added. The attack was the first major act of violence against US interests in Turkey since the US-led war on Iraq, which was opposed by both the Ankara government and the Turkish public. Onal said the attacker had denied membership of any underground group in his initial testimony. NTV reported that he had said he wanted to protest at Israel's attempt on Tuesday to assassinate the political leader of Palestinian group Hamas. The Turkish foreign ministry expressed regret over the incident. "We informed the US side that we are ready to take any additional security measures (for US missions in Turkey)," ministry spokesman Huseyin Dirioz told reporters. Security measures around US consulates in Turkey have already been enhanced in the wake of the September 11 attacks on New York two years ago and the war on neighbouring Iraq. The province of Adana is home to the Incirlik air base, used by US and British warplanes to enforce a no-fly zone over northern Iraq from the time of the Gulf War in 1991 until this year's US-led invasion of Iraq. Some 1,200 US Air Force personnel used to be based at Incirlik. But most US forces and all the fighter planes have now been withdrawn from the base, although it is still used as a refuelling stop, notably for planes heading to Afghanistan. **PHOTO CAPTION*** A Turkish policeman takes Cumali Kizilkaya (L), the belligerent of the bomb attack to U.S Consulate, to the police station in Adana, south-east Turkey. (AFP/ANOTOLIA NEWS AGENCY/Suleyman Tiras)