TERRORIST FINANCE: POST VETTING

S E C R E T ANKARA 007727 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EB/ESC/TFS (GGLASS),S/CT (TNAVRATIL), EUR/SE, EUR/PPG (LREASOR),IO/PHO (APEREZ),NSC (GPETERS), TREASURY GENERAL COUNSEL (DAUFHAUSER),OFAC DIRECTOR (RNEWCOMB),TREASURY (JZARATE) E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/15/2013 TAGS: EFIN ETTC PREL PTER TU SUBJECT: TERRORIST FINANCE: POST VETTING REF: STATE 341277 (U) Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch. Reasons: 1.5(b) & (d). (S/NF) From the U.S. point of view, we have no difficulty designating IBDA-C, based on activities several years old with the leadership still in Turkish jails but with a loose group of supporters with questionable capabilities at large. If we proceed to designate IBDA-C, there may also be grounds to consider designating Turkish Hizbullah. However,we also note the following: First, Post does not have, and considers it unlikely that it can obtain, any documentary information establishing that IBDA-C was responsible for the Istanbul bombings of 20 November. Second, IBDA-C's claimed responsibility for the bombings is simply not credible at this point in the investigation. Third, the GOT may find a great deal of irony in the EU's designation of IBDA-C, given the EU's failure to designate KADEK and the various other aliases of PKK, which GOT (rightfully) considers a far more dangerous organization. EDELMAN