"This was an inhumane act by the bloody separatist terrorist organisation," Atalay told reporters, using the official description of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Ten suspects were questioned and handed over to the judicial authorities, Atalay said.

They include the larger part of those who were involved in the blasts last Sunday, including those "who personally took part" in the attacks, he said.

The police consider the incident to be resolved, the minister said, adding that the findings "left no room for hesitation" over the perpetrators.

Two bombs, planted in rubbish containers, exploded about 10 minutes apart last Sunday in a crowded pedestrian street in the popular Gungoren neighbourhood, on Istanbul's European side.

The first bomb drew a large crowd of onlookers, and the second, more powerful, blast killed 17 people, including five children and a pregnant woman.

Atalay said 27 of the 154 people who were injured remained in hospital, but none was in a life-threatening condition.

In the course of the investigation, he said, the police also established that a bomb blast that wounded 10 in another Istanbul district in June was the work of the same assailants.