Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ANKARA906
2008-05-12 07:23:00
SECRET
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
THREATS AGAINST U.S. INTERESTS UNDERSCORE NEED TO
how-toVZCZCXRO1441 OO RUEHBC RUEHBW RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHFL RUEHKUK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV DE RUEHAK #0906 1330723 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 120723Z MAY 08 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6240 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 4209
S E C R E T ANKARA 000906
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2018
TAGS: PREL PTER TU
SUBJECT: THREATS AGAINST U.S. INTERESTS UNDERSCORE NEED TO
DESIGNATE PJAK AS A TERRORIST GROUP
REF: 07 ANKARA 2918
Classified By: Ambassador Ross Wilson. Reason: 1.4 (b)(d).
S E C R E T ANKARA 000906
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2018
TAGS: PREL PTER TU
SUBJECT: THREATS AGAINST U.S. INTERESTS UNDERSCORE NEED TO
DESIGNATE PJAK AS A TERRORIST GROUP
REF: 07 ANKARA 2918
Classified By: Ambassador Ross Wilson. Reason: 1.4 (b)(d).
1. (SBU) A spokesperson for the Party of Free Life for
Kurdistan (PJAK) stated May 4 that PJAK had "changed its mind
about the United States Government and we are standing
against them now," AP reported May 5 from Qandil in northern
Iraq. Peritan Derseem, described as a senior PJAK official,
claimed some PJAK fighters wanted to avenge their comrades'
deaths in strikes carried out by Turkish forces against PKK
bases in northern Iraq by forming suicide squads, but added
that "combatants" are under the control of the organization,
which is against such attacks. "Maybe someday ... individual
combatants might launch suicide attacks inside Iraq and
Turkey, and even against American interests," Derseem
continued.
2. (S) These PJAK statements again raise the need for the
United States to designate PJAK as a terrorist organization.
Extensive sensitive reporting points to extremely strong PKK
ties to and control over PJAK, if in fact the two are not
actually one entity. Present and former PKK members serve in
PJAK. They use the same facilities in Qandil.
3. (S) Expanded efforts to counter PKK terrorism in northern
Iraq by the United States, Turkey and Iraq have changed the
dynamic of the struggle there. Not designating PJAK as a
terrorist organization continues to leave us open to
criticism from those who claim the United States is
cooperating with it or plans to use it to undermine the
Iranian regime. PJAK's non-designation allows it to serve as
an alternate route for funding and supplies to the PKK.
Embassy believes this threat by PJAK against American
interests should provide a fresh impetus to designate it as a
Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
WILSON
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2018
TAGS: PREL PTER TU
SUBJECT: THREATS AGAINST U.S. INTERESTS UNDERSCORE NEED TO
DESIGNATE PJAK AS A TERRORIST GROUP
REF: 07 ANKARA 2918
Classified By: Ambassador Ross Wilson. Reason: 1.4 (b)(d).
1. (SBU) A spokesperson for the Party of Free Life for
Kurdistan (PJAK) stated May 4 that PJAK had "changed its mind
about the United States Government and we are standing
against them now," AP reported May 5 from Qandil in northern
Iraq. Peritan Derseem, described as a senior PJAK official,
claimed some PJAK fighters wanted to avenge their comrades'
deaths in strikes carried out by Turkish forces against PKK
bases in northern Iraq by forming suicide squads, but added
that "combatants" are under the control of the organization,
which is against such attacks. "Maybe someday ... individual
combatants might launch suicide attacks inside Iraq and
Turkey, and even against American interests," Derseem
continued.
2. (S) These PJAK statements again raise the need for the
United States to designate PJAK as a terrorist organization.
Extensive sensitive reporting points to extremely strong PKK
ties to and control over PJAK, if in fact the two are not
actually one entity. Present and former PKK members serve in
PJAK. They use the same facilities in Qandil.
3. (S) Expanded efforts to counter PKK terrorism in northern
Iraq by the United States, Turkey and Iraq have changed the
dynamic of the struggle there. Not designating PJAK as a
terrorist organization continues to leave us open to
criticism from those who claim the United States is
cooperating with it or plans to use it to undermine the
Iranian regime. PJAK's non-designation allows it to serve as
an alternate route for funding and supplies to the PKK.
Embassy believes this threat by PJAK against American
interests should provide a fresh impetus to designate it as a
Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
WILSON