PKK: GOF AGREES WITH U.S. AND WANTS INFO ON ALTUN

S E C R E T PARIS 004401 SIPDIS SIPDIS ANKARA FOR SUZANNE HAYDEN; NCTC FOR MATT PEREZ; EUR/SE FOR DANIELLE GARD; S C/T FOR ZACK ROTHSCHILD E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2017 TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV KTFN TU IZ EUN FR SUBJECT: PKK: GOF AGREES WITH U.S. AND WANTS INFO ON ALTUN REF: A. STATE 148531 ¶B. PARIS 3344 ¶C. PARIS 3340 Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT FOR REASO NS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (S) Embassy delivered ref A talking points to MFA counterterrorism officials on October 26. The GOF fully agrees with the U.S. assessment of the PKK and promised to continue encouraging its European partners to take action against PKK operatives in Europe. Poloff was told in the meeting that the French judiciary is continuing to prosecute the PKK operatives arrested in France during 2007, including Riza Altun, who escaped from French territory and was subsequently assisted by the Austrian government in fleeing to Northern Iraq. ¶2. (S) Separately, visiting Assistant Attorney General Waynestein and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Bruce Swartz met on October 24 with judicial authorities to discuss counterterrorism matters. As part of those meetings, the lead investigating judge for the French case against PKK operatives in France, Thierry Fragnoli, asked DOJ for any evidence the U.S. has against Riza Altun that might be useful as the GOF builds its case. In addition, Fragnoli sought assistance in locating Altun (possibly arresting him based on France's international arrest warrant),and information on his current activities. (COMMENT: As post understands it, Fragnoli is looking for information that would directly tie Altun to terrorist activity in Northern Iraq and could help the GOF's case against Altun and his associates.) ¶3. (S) Post welcomes any evidence or intelligence on Riza Altun that can be passed to the GOF. (Note: French prosecutors can use classified materials as part of their case.) Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm PEKALA