POLICE RAID TURKISH TERRORIST ORGANIZATION DHKP/C

UNCLAS MUNICH 000819 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPARTMENT FOR DS/IP/ITA, DS/IP/EUR BERLIN AND FRANKFURT FOR RSO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCRM KWMN KJUS PTER PGOV ASEC GM TU SUBJECT: POLICE RAID TURKISH TERRORIST ORGANIZATION DHKP/C SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. ¶1. (U) In a coordinated effort led by Munich prosecutors, police from Bavaria, Baden-Wuerttemberg, and North Rhine Westphalia raided the apartments and workplaces of alleged supporters of the Turkish terrorist organization "Revolutionary People's Liberation Front" (DHKP/C) on November 28. According to press reports, the raid resulted in 52 arrests, although only one suspect remains in police custody. Police also confiscated approximately 40 computers, over 200 computer discs and memory sticks, and several boxes containing propaganda material including journals and flyers. The raids involved about 350 police, and included searches of 59 buildings in Bavaria (32),Baden-Wuerttemberg (21),and North Rhine Westphalia (6),Bavarian authorities announced. Those questioned are suspected of having collected money and distributed propaganda material in support of the banned organization. ¶2. (SBU) Bavarian law enforcement officials told ConGen they consider the operation to have been a success. The man in custody is a 44-year old Baden-Wuerttemberg resident who is suspected of being a national DHKP/C leader. A Munich court issued an arrest warrant for him November 27 and he was arrested shortly thereafter in downtown Cologne. Bavarian police officials also said they are closely investigating a 45 year old man and his 44 year old wife from the Augsburg area suspected of having led a local DHKP/C group. Bavarian law enforcement officials estimate the DHKP-C has about 800 members in Germany, of which 120 are in Bavaria. ¶3. (U) This report has been coordinated with Embassy Berlin and Consulates General Dusseldorf and Frankfurt. ¶4. (U) Previous reporting from Munich is available on our SIPRNET website at www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/munich/ . NELSON