TURKISH EMBASSY PRESSES FOR HELP CAPTURING PKK

S E C R E T BERLIN 001443 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR EUR/AGS, EUR/PGI, EUR/SE AND S/CT E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/26/2016 TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV PINR KCRM KTFN GM TU SUBJECT: TURKISH EMBASSY PRESSES FOR HELP CAPTURING PKK TERRORIST REF: BERLIN 1109 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Minister-Counselor for Economic Affairs Robert F. Cekuta for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (S) Turkish Embassy PolCouns Kemal Tuzun requested a meeting May 26 with Acting Global Affairs Counselor to discuss new ideas from Ankara to fight the PKK. During the meeting he provided a non-paper (in English, text contained in para 4 below) about and photos of Canan Kurtyilmaz, a.k.a. Asya Deniz. He noted she is a PKK leader and that her capture is a priority for Ankara. Tuzun said she might be based in France, but Ankara believed that she traveled freely in the EU Schengen area and spent most of her time in Germany. He stated Turkish security services are prepared to provide additional information on Kurtyilmaz / Deniz. When asked if Turkey is prepared to give German officials evidence that would withstand German court scrutiny needed for Germany to agree to Kurtyilmaz's extradition, Tuzun said the Turkish security services could provide additional information to German agencies, but said it was up to Germany to investigate her activities in Germany -- which presumably would include illegal fundraising for the PKK -- and prosecute or extradite her on that basis. ¶2. (C) Commenting on the state of cooperation with Germany on the PKK, Tuzun said Germany did not prosecute PKK members for the crime, under German law, of membership in a foreign terrorist organization, but that Germany had prosecuted PKK members if there were other additional grounds, e.g., PKK membership plus fraud, document forgery, weapons crimes or financial offenses. Tuzun complained in many cases PKK terrorist leaders commit their crimes in Europe or in northern Iraq -- they are not so stupid as to travel to Turkey where they would be arrested, he said. Therefore it is the countries where the crimes take place, not Turkey, Tuzun continued, that are in the best position to collect and present evidence of these PKK leaders' activities and crimes. That said, Tuzun remarked that the Turkish Embassy had forewarned German officials about attacks, allegedly linked to the PKK, that took place in Germany in April (reftel). He said German authorities consequently were able to increase security precautions at Turkish establishments and that the information Turkey provided proved to be correct. On the other hand, Tuzun said the Embassy had not heard of any subsequent arrests of the individuals the Turkish authorities listed would be involved in the attacks. Further to reftel's report of the arrest of PKK leader "Gulay A.," Tuzun said he had still not heard how important her capture is from Ankara's point of view. ¶3. (SBU) Tuzun welcomed the U.S. delegation which is to visit Berlin June 6 and agreed to meet with them. ¶4. (C) Begin Text of Turkish Embassy non-paper Asya Deniz kod Canan KURTYILMAZ (NOTE: Tuzun stated "kod" was Turkish for "is a code name for" End Note). Also known as: Asya Deniz Father's-Mother's name: Murat Emin - Nesrin Place of Birth: Eskisehir Date of Birth: 1973 The above named PKK terrorist; - has begun her activities in the PKK ranks in 1992, while she was studying at the faculty of Architecture, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, - uses the code name "Asya Deniz" in her activities, - has been a member of the PKK Party Assembly since 2001, - is one of the leading militants in charge of the PJA (Free Women Party) which is one of the PKK affiliated formations in Europe, - applied for political asylum in France in 2001, - has been granted a residence permit by the French authorities, - took active part in the activities of the PKK in Makhmour Camp at a leading position, in 2003, - has become one of the leading members of the PKK in northern Iraq, as of 2004, - in April 2005, during the PKK General Congress held in northern Iraq, has been assigned as the co-chairperson of PKK, along with Murat Karayilan, - in the PKK Congress of May 2005, has been elected to the "Kurdistan People's Congress" (KKK) Executive Council membership, - in January 2006, moved from northern Iraq to Europe and has been tasked with overseeing the whole activities of the PKK all around Europe. End Text of Turkish Embassy non-paper. TIMKEN JR