Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ANKARA1245
2008-07-10 10:40:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TURKEY: INFORMATION STILL INCOMPLETE ON ISTANBUL
how-toVZCZCXRO3668 PP RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHAK #1245 1921040 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 101040Z JUL 08 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6808 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 1270 RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU RUEUITH/TLO ANKARA TU RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5// RHMFISS/39ABG CP INCIRLIK AB TU RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RHMFISS/425ABG IZMIR TU//CC// RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001245
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/PPD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2018
TAGS: KPAO PGOV PREL PTER TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: INFORMATION STILL INCOMPLETE ON ISTANBUL
ATTACK
REF: ANKARA 1242
Classified By: DCM Doug Silliman for reasons 1.4 (b,d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001245
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/PPD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2018
TAGS: KPAO PGOV PREL PTER TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: INFORMATION STILL INCOMPLETE ON ISTANBUL
ATTACK
REF: ANKARA 1242
Classified By: DCM Doug Silliman for reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (SBU) Turkish National Police (TNP) officials this
morning passed the Embassy, unofficially, the names of the
assailants in yesterday's attack on the Consulate General in
Istanbul:
Raif Topcil, born in 1988;
Erkan Kargin, born in 1982;
Bulent Cinar, born in 1985.
(Note: Several newspapers also carried these names, but at
least one gave Topcil's given name as Mahsum. End note)
No official confirmation of the names has been provided yet.
A TNP contact indicated the three assailants were Turkish
citizens, but we have no official confirmation of that yet.
2. (C) The Embassy also understands from reliable contacts
that TNP authorities are continuing to search for a vehicle
presumed to have been involved in the attack. Although no
vehicle is seen on the Consulate security camera videotape,
officials are reportedly operating on the presumption that a
vehicle must have been used, not least because the hunting
shotgun that was used is unusually long (almost five feet).
The Consulate has provided copies of all relevant videotape
footage to the TNP.
3. (C) A ceremony to honor the three slain police officers
was held at 1130 on July 10 at the Istanbul Security
Directorate. Consul General Sharon Wiener sent a wreath from
the Consulate, and she and several consulate personnel
attended the event. Arrangements are underway for the CG to
make a quiet visit to the two hospitalized victims.
4. (U) Turkish press condemned the attack and speculated on
possible links to terrorist organizations including al-Qaeda,
the Islamist IBDA-C and the ultra-nationalist Ergenekon
network. Some columnists suggested the attack was
retaliation for the Turkish police's recent operations
against al-Qaeda groups in southern Turkey. Yeni Safak's
Tamer Korkmaz said the attack "may have been a warning to
police to stop digging into Ergenekon." Mainstream Milliyet
columnist Sami Kohen stated the target was the US, not
Turkish police, or the assailants would have chosen a less
secure target. Other columnists concluded a professional
terrorist organization would not have staged such an
unsophisticated attack.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
WILSON
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/PPD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2018
TAGS: KPAO PGOV PREL PTER TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: INFORMATION STILL INCOMPLETE ON ISTANBUL
ATTACK
REF: ANKARA 1242
Classified By: DCM Doug Silliman for reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (SBU) Turkish National Police (TNP) officials this
morning passed the Embassy, unofficially, the names of the
assailants in yesterday's attack on the Consulate General in
Istanbul:
Raif Topcil, born in 1988;
Erkan Kargin, born in 1982;
Bulent Cinar, born in 1985.
(Note: Several newspapers also carried these names, but at
least one gave Topcil's given name as Mahsum. End note)
No official confirmation of the names has been provided yet.
A TNP contact indicated the three assailants were Turkish
citizens, but we have no official confirmation of that yet.
2. (C) The Embassy also understands from reliable contacts
that TNP authorities are continuing to search for a vehicle
presumed to have been involved in the attack. Although no
vehicle is seen on the Consulate security camera videotape,
officials are reportedly operating on the presumption that a
vehicle must have been used, not least because the hunting
shotgun that was used is unusually long (almost five feet).
The Consulate has provided copies of all relevant videotape
footage to the TNP.
3. (C) A ceremony to honor the three slain police officers
was held at 1130 on July 10 at the Istanbul Security
Directorate. Consul General Sharon Wiener sent a wreath from
the Consulate, and she and several consulate personnel
attended the event. Arrangements are underway for the CG to
make a quiet visit to the two hospitalized victims.
4. (U) Turkish press condemned the attack and speculated on
possible links to terrorist organizations including al-Qaeda,
the Islamist IBDA-C and the ultra-nationalist Ergenekon
network. Some columnists suggested the attack was
retaliation for the Turkish police's recent operations
against al-Qaeda groups in southern Turkey. Yeni Safak's
Tamer Korkmaz said the attack "may have been a warning to
police to stop digging into Ergenekon." Mainstream Milliyet
columnist Sami Kohen stated the target was the US, not
Turkish police, or the assailants would have chosen a less
secure target. Other columnists concluded a professional
terrorist organization would not have staged such an
unsophisticated attack.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
WILSON