NEXT STEPS ON PKK IN EUROPE

S E C R E T ANKARA 000463 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR S/CT - URBANCIC TREASURY FOR OTI - JSERAFINI JUSTICE FOR OPDAT - JSILVERWOOD E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2017 TAGS: KTFN TU SUBJECT: NEXT STEPS ON PKK IN EUROPE REF: ANKARA 336 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: DCM Nancy McEldowney for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (S) Summary: Recent French arrests of PKK operatives on criminal charges are a good sign of progress against PKK networks in Europe. To most effectively build on this, we need to follow up to move law enforcement and intelligence cooperation with Europeans to an operational level. Post recommends a series of follow-up actions to do so: 1) Washington should speed up release of intelligence to French law enforcement; 2) develop a test case, probably with Germany; 3) urge Europeans to impose tight controls on flights to northern Iraq, especially in the run-up to the annual PKK Congress; 4) get EupoJust to opEn PKK files; 5) press Europeans to crack down on cash couriers; 6) keep preSSure on Danes over Roj TV; and 7) engage with BeleiAns to be helpful on a likely anti-PKKoperation. We neeD to keep focusing on PKK in Europe: spring is fast approaching and with it the danger of resumed PKK attacks in Turkey. End Summary. -------------- Need to Build on Recent Progress -------------- ¶2. (S) In recent months, we have made progress with European partners on the PKK in Europe issue, notably the arrests in Germany and France. The upgrade of PKK to a Tier II intelligence collection target, the heightened S/CT attention, Deputy S/CT Urbancic's trip, launching the designation process for TAK as a PKK alias, and the RLA-organized prosecutors' workshop in Istanbul are also important steps forward. To most effectively build on this progress, we need to keep pressing ahead to move as much as possible to move our cooperation with Europeans to an operational level. To help focus our efforts, post offers several recommended follow-up actions. -------------- Clear Intel for the French, ASAP -------------- 3.(S) Most urgently, we need S/CT to expedite the clearance process for release to French prosecutors of intelligence germane to the French investigation. This could help build their case but also reinforces our message of cooperation. In addition, we should encourage appropriate discussion between U.S. and French intelligence and law enforcement as to whether the arrests of Altun and others have uncovered intelligence that may be germane to other investigations or Qo a broader understanding of how the PKK operates its front network in Europe. -------------- Propose a Test Case -------------- ¶4. (S) At the same time, we need to move forward with a "test case" as Acting S/CT Coordinator Urbancic discussed with the Turks. The Greek-German Karsaz case seems like a good opportunity. Given German seriousness about the PKK and the fact that they are already monitoring Karsaz and the German-connected business person central to this case, approaching the Germans would seem like an obvious choice. We recommend Washington agencies move ahead andapproach German intel and law enforcement to share what we know. But more importantly, we need to identify what we, the Germans and Turks collectively do not know so we can all collect against this target. Only by pooling information (including with Turkey) and identifying what we don't know will we be able to collect information that could lead to an arrest or a seizure of funds. -------------- Tight Scrutiny of Flights to Northern raq -------------- 5.(S) ith springapproaching, the PKK is expected to organize its annual conference in northern Iraq. The Turks have specifically raised this conference and requested U.S. help to interdict it. As one step, Embassies should approach Austrian and other European airlines and governments in countries from which there are direct flights to northern Iraq to urge maximum scrutiny of passengers. It is one thing for the Europeans to argue they lack sufficient evidence to arrest PKK operatives but a far lower evidentiary bar should be required to prevent known PKK operatives from boarding flights to attend a congress of an EU-designated terrorist organization. Many of the PKK operatives are the subject of outstanding Interpol warrants providing at least a basis for temporary detention that could disrupt the congress. Suspected participants in the PKK Congress attempting to board could also be subjected to careful searches for cash to interdict financial flows (see below). -------------- Opening Eurojust Files -------------- 6, (S) We need to get a European Government to open "files" at Eurojust on PKK individuals. The UK Ambassador to Ankara and the Belgian DCM here -- both of whom have experience working on judicial issues at the EU Commission -- have separately stressed the importance of opening Eurojust files to facilitate prosecutorial exchange of information between European countries. For example, judicial information developed in the Altun case may be relevant to investigations of Roj TV in Denmark or other ongoing investigations. The UK may be the best target for such an approach. -------------- Engage with Belgians and Danes -------------- ¶7. (S) Visits to Brusse,s, Copenha%%n and Paris by Acting S/CQ Coobdinat/2 Urbancic at the end of March shoeld prove very 5sdfel. The Belgian Embassy in AnKara tells us Beleium police may be readying an anti-PKK -peration and we should maximize engagement to be as helpful as possible. For Copenhagen, we and the Danes need to target collection on RojTV finances. We need to keep pressure on the Danes to deal in one way or another with the use of their territory to incite terrorism. -------------- Keep After Cash Couriers -------------- ¶8. (S) There is probably more we can do on the issue of cash couriers travel from Europe to northern Iraq. The recent report of arrests in Oslo of PKKers intending to transfer funds to northern Iraq should be exploited as much as possible for information on how these flows work. -------------- Follow up with Dutch Prosecutors -------------- ¶9. (S) We need to folow up with the Dutch terrorism prosecutors dealing with the training camp cases to ensure they are receiving cooperation from other countries. -------------- Spring is Around the Corner -------------- ¶10. (S) We offer our ideas in an effort to keep the focus and maintain the momentum. The coming of spring brings the potential for revived PKK attacks in Turkey. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON