TURKEY: MORE ATTENTION TO AL-QA,IDA, GLOBAL

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000487

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DOJ FOR DAAG/CRM BSWARTZ

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/10/2028
TAGS: PTER PREL TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: MORE ATTENTION TO AL-QA,IDA, GLOBAL
TERRORISM URGED

REF: A. ANKARA 0394

B. ANKARA 0395

C. TD-314-015143-08

Classified By: DCM Nancy McEldowney. Reasons: 1.4 (b)(d).


1. (S) Summary. S/CT PDAS Urbancic, during February 12
meetings in Ankara, briefed a Turkish interagency group on
Al-Qa'ida and its wider network (AQN) and the findings from
the AQ documents obtained through Objective Massey, urging
Turkey to strengthen its fight against Al-Qa'ida and other
terrorists by broadening its terrorism law. MFA DG Guven
undertook to pursue Urbancic's suggestions. Urbancic's
meetings helped set the stage for the Attorney General's
successful visit and secured greater Turkish cooperation in
our fight against AQ and other terrorists. End summary.

Strengthening Turkey's Counterterrorism Law
--------------

2. (C) During a February 12 interagency meeting hosted by
MFA Security Affairs Director General Hayati Guven, S/CT PDAS
Frank Urbancic congratulated Turkey for successfully taking
down an Al-Qa'ida (AQ) cell in Gaziantep in January, and
stressed the need to stay alert. To further strengthen
Turkey's fight against AQ and other terrorists, Urbancic
encouraged Turkish authorities to reexamine Turkey's
terrorism legislation. Under present law, prosecutors are
constrained if they cannot establish a direct link to Turkey
or Turkish interests. Urbancic urged the Turks to broaden
their definition of terrorism to include non-Turkey-specific
targets; permit use in court of evidence from undercover
agents; and stiffen penalties for terrorism facilitation and
document fraud. (Note: MOJ officials subsequently agreed in
principle to establish a MOJ-DOJ working group to examine
international standards and best practices in terrorism laws
as well as any areas where Turkey's laws could be improved.
The Attorney General formally raised the matter during his
February 14-15 visit and the Minister of Justice agreed. The
RLA will bring relevant MOJ officials to Washington in May to
begin discussing legislative issues with their U.S.
counterparts. MOJ officials stressed the importance of
keeping the working group small and limited to the DG in
charge of international relations, several of his associates
and the RLA. End note.)

Strengthening Border Security, Information Sharing
-------------- --------------

3. (C) Turkey could further reinforce its efforts against AQ
and other terrorists by increasing surveillance of suspects,
strengthening border security, especially the border with
Syria, and sharing information gained from such closer
scrutiny with the United States, Urbancic continued. He also
asked Turkey to increase terrorist screening information
sharing with regional partners, and to consider adopting the
Passenger Name Records system. Urbancic left copies of the
brief with additional detail on proposals at the interagency
meeting.


4. (C) Turkey shares the same concerns as the United States,
DG Guven responded. He acknowledged certain nationalities,
including Tunisians and Moroccans, do not require visas and
noted Turkey has a problem with Pakistanis entering Turkey
without visas after training at conservative Pakistani
madrassas. Guven undertook to pursue the issue. "When the
subject is fighting terrorism, we always take it seriously,"
he stated.


5. (C) In a separate February 12 meeting with MASAK, Turkey's
financial intelligence unit, Urbancic and his team discussed
joint efforts to address terrorist finance. MASAK President
Adnan Erturk reported his agency is working to come into
compliance with FATF recommendations. MASAK has also begun
to meet with prosecutors to share ideas and to get the
prosecutors into the investigative process at an earlier
stage. Responding to information about an upcoming MOI-DOJ
roundtable to focus on counterfeit cigarettes, a growing
source of revenue for the PKK and other terrorists, Erturk
suggested MASAK and RLA form a small working group to "follow
the money" from those crimes.

ANKARA 00000487 002 OF 002




6. (S//NF) Comment. Urbancic's meetings further sensitized
the Turks to the AQN threat and to terrorist issues beyond
the PKK. Ref C reports the Turkish National Police (TNP)
subsequently arrested two North African suspected Foreign
Fighters (FF) and traced the movement of several others into
Syria. This TNP action may indicate the Turks are taking FF
more seriously after Urbancic's briefing. While MASAK's
agreement to form a small working group with RLA to combat
counterfeit cigarettes arose for its concerns about PKK
activities, the agreement marked the first time MASAK agreed
to cooperate with the USG and sets a precedent for future CT
cooperation. In addition, by proposing a reexamination of
Turkey's terrorism law, Urbancic set the stage for the
Attorney General's successful visit and helped secure greater
Turkish cooperation in our fight against AQN and other
terrorists.


Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey

WILSON