SE TURKEY SECURITY INCIDENTS: OCTOBER 26 - NOVEMBER 01,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ADANA 000066 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR DS/IP/NEA, DS/IP/ITA, INR AND NEA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC PTER PINR CASC TU SUBJECT: SE TURKEY SECURITY INCIDENTS: OCTOBER 26 - NOVEMBER 01, 2009 ¶1. The following security incidents for the period of October 26 - November 01, 2009, were compiled by the security assistant at Consulate Adana from RSO sources, to include Turkish security contacts, government officials and media. Similar reports have been previously shared informally by e-mail. Post is now sending this information in cable format to ensure wider and more regular distribution. The RSO uses the information to determine the security situation and trends of violence and crime throughout Turkey. The RSO shares the information with the country team and visas viper coordinator. ¶2. Military operations against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) as reported by the Turkish General Staff: ¶A. Weapons, ammunition, and equipment seized: Siirt - 10.31.09: 1 G-3 infantry rifle, 3 rounds of RPG-7 ammunitions. Van - 10.31.09: 1 Kalashnikov rifle magazine and various clothing. Hakkari - 10.24.09: 1 round of RPG-7 ammunition. Sirnak - 10.24.09: 1 round of mortar ammunition. ¶B. PKK members captured or surrendered: Kahramanmaras - 10.30.09: 1 PKK member surrendered. 10.26.09 through 11.01.09: Security forces captured 1 PKK member alive. October 2009: A total of 22 terrorists were captured: 3 dead, 6 alive and 13 surrendered. ¶C. PKK attacks: Hakkari - 10.28.09: A hand-made IED was found and destroyed. ¶3. Media reports related to PKK and pro-Kurdish organizations: ¶A. Anti-PKK operations: 10.26.09 through 11.01.09: Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) anti-PKK operations in SE Turkey continue. Many armored vehicles, military personnel and ammunition were sent to operation areas in Bingol, Hakkari, Sirnak and Tunceli. Mus - 10.11.09: TAF launched a region-wide operation. ¶N. Iraq - 10.31.09: A pro-Kurdish web site reported that TAF ambushed PKK targets in the Zap District. ¶N. Iraq - 10.31.09: TAF anti-PKK operations continue. Hakkari - 10.30.09: TAF artillery teams bombed PKK positions in ¶N. Iraq. ¶N. Iraq - 10.29.09: TAF bombed the Ciyares area of the Zap Region. Bingol - 10.26.09: TAF killed 5 PKK members. 2 civilians and 1 security personnel were wounded in the operation. ¶B. Arrests: �0A; Diyarbakir - 10.31.09: 3 people who threw Molotov cocktails at a supermarket were sentenced between 7 and 11 years in prison on the charge of "carrying out illegal action on behalf of the PKK," and "making propaganda for the PKK." Bitlis - 10.31.09: DTP Chairman of Tatvan is on trial on the charge of "praising the crime and the criminal." Diyarbakir- 10.29.09: Security forces caught 7 people trying to recruit members for the PKK. Clothing, organizational documents and digital equipment were seized in the operation. Sanliurfa - 10.29.09: Security forces detained 1 person suspected of terrorism. Siirt - 10.29.09: Security forces caught 2 people trying to recruit members for the PKK. The suspects were later arrested on the charge of "assisting and harboring the PKK." 28 of 30 people were later freed. Siirt - 10.28.09: Security forces detained and later arrested 8 people on the charge of "assisting and harboring the PKK." ADANA 00000066 002 OF 004 Diyarbakir - 10.27.09: Security forces detained 12 people trying to recruit members for the PKK. 7 of 12 people later were arrested on the charge of "assisting and harboring the PKK." Adana - 10.27.09: The Chairman of the Adana Branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD) was sentenced to 3 years in prison on the charge of "instigating hatred and animosity." Siirt - 10.27.09: DTP Chairman of Pervari, BDP district chairman and a DTP official were detained on the suspicion of terrorism. Hakkari - 10.27.09: 1 person was arrested on the charge of "being member of the PKK." Siirt - 10.27.09: Security forces stormed the buildings of STAY-DER (Solidarity Union of Families of Detainees) and SI-DER (Union to Fight against Poverty) and detained over 30 people on the suspicion of terrorism. Diyarbakir - 10.27.09: 14 people, including DTP and Human Rights Union officials, are on trial for "making propaganda for the PKK." Diyarbakir - 10.27.09: Aysel Tugluk, a Kurdish member of the DTP, was sentenced to 18 months in jail on the charge for "making propaganda for the terror organization PKK." Diyarbakir - 10.27.09: DTP Mayor of Sur has been acquitted of the charge of making propaganda for the PKK. Mus - 10.16.09: DTP Varto District Chairman, who was detained on the suspicion of terrorism, was released. Batman - 10.26.09: Security forces detained 4 people on the charge of "making propaganda for the PKK." It was reported that the suspects chanted, "Long live Apo!" during a football match. Apo is a familiar name for Ocalan. ¶C. Other media stories about PKK: 11.01.09: According to recent figures from the military, in the first 10 months of this year, 120 PKK members surrendered to security forces. In addition to the 120 that surrendered between January and October of this year, a total of 140 terrorists were captured in the same period, 89 alive and 51 dead. This number brings the total number of terrorists that have been rendered inactive to 260. In the same period, 54 members of the Turkish security forces were killed. The number of clashes has been much less this year in comparison with the same period in previous years. Hakkari - 10.31.09: PKK members kidnapped and killed a civilian. 10.31.09: According to the pro-PKK ANF web site, despite the inactivity period, TAF launched 45 operations in October, including 7 air-strikes (3 in Hakkari, 2 in Tunceli, 2 in Bingol) and 27 artillery strikes (5 in Hakkari, 21 in northern Iraq, and 1 in Sirnak). 14 PKK members were killed in the same period. 1 civilian was wounded in a TAF landmine blast. ANF also reports that a Turkish soldier serving obligatory military duty in N. Cyprus escaped and joined PKK. Hakkari - 10.31.09: According to a pro-PKK web site, the area around Zavite Village in the Cukurca District was mined by TAF. Adana - 10.31.09: A pro-Kurdish web site has claimed that members of the United High School Students (LOB) were threatened by a group of TNP officers. Bingol - 10.30.09: Hundreds of people joined in the funeral ceremony of a killed PKK member and chanted slogans in favor of PKK and Ocalan. No clash or arrest was reported. Gaziantep - 10.30.09: Members of the anti-PKK groups, Families of Martyrs and Foundation of Veterans, protested the surrender of PKK members at the Habur Border Gate. Hakkari - 10.30.09: TAF declared areas of the province off-limits to the public due to impending military operations. Hakkari - 10.29.09: Almost 1000 people gathered in DTP's Republic Day march. Approximately 20-30 PKK supporters stoned security forces after the march. Police intervened with tear gas bombs and sticks. No injuries or arrests were reported. Adana - 10.29.09: Many people gathered in Sofulu District to protest the incidents during the surrender of PKK members at the Habur Border Gate. ADANA 00000066 003 OF 004 10.29.09: Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the PKK, may receive permission to watch television broadcasts from the state-run Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) after he is transferred to a new building currently under construction on Imrali Island in the Marmara Sea. Ocalan currently has limited access to print and other media and no access to television. ¶N. Iraq - 10.29.09 through 10.27.09: 92 HPG (People's Defense Force) warriors graduated from training camps. The commander of the terror group said that they will not accept any concessions without the leadership of Abdullah Ocalan. Diyarbakir - 10.29.09: Thousands of people joined in the funeral ceremonies of 2 PKK members. Demonstrators chanted slogans in favor of PKK and Ocalan. Tunceli - 10.29.09: PKK/HPG has banned civilian entry to local hunting grounds, cautioning residents that TAF placed undercover operatives in the region. 10.28.09: One of PKK's top level administrators, Zubeyir Aydar, sent a letter to President Obama calling for the removal of PKK names from a list of international drug smugglers. Elazig - 10.28.09: 5 corpses belonging to PKK members were brought to Firat University's morgue. North Kurdistan Public Initiative has called for protests during the upcoming funeral ceremonies. Bingol - 10.27.09: A pro-Kurdish web site has claimed that Turkish troops opened fire on civilians, wounding 2 villagers. 10.27.09: A group of 15 PKK members residing in Europe alleged Turkey denied them the necessary entry visas to return to the country under government reforms aimed at expanding Kurdish rights. 10.27.09: 870 PKK members have applied for benefits under the repentance law between June 1, 2005 and June 15, 2009. According to a report, 636 PKK members were released without charge as a result of this law. Sentences of 30 were reduced. Demands of 124 were rejected and investigations have been under way for 78 PKK members. Most recently, on October 19, 34 PKK members from Makhmour refugee camp and Qandil Mountain surrendered to Turkish authorities at Habur border gate under the framework of this law. ¶4. Media reports on significant crime or security incidents: Gaziantep - 10.11.09: Security forces seized 4 unregistered pistols and detained 4 people in an anti-smuggling operation. Turkey wide - 10.31.09: According to media reports, "security forces are on high alert against a possible suicide attack," based on an intelligence alert sent by the Security General Directorate to all related security units. The method and type of the possible suicide action is still unknown. Consulate contacts in the Adana police added they have not yet received an official memorandum from the Intelligence Directorate. Kahramanmaras - 10.31.09: The Chairman of the Kahramanmaras Branch of the Alperen Ocaklari (fanatic nationalist group linked to the ultra nationalist BBP or Great Unity Party) made a press statement to protest DTP's provocative attitudes and the GOT's Kurdish and Armenia initiatives. Diyarbakir - 10.30.09: Security forces seized 1 Kalashnikov rifle, 2 pistols, 161 rounds of ammunition, and 11 cell phones and detained 9 people in an organized crime operation. Gaziantep and Kilis - 10.29.09: Security forces caught 10 people in an anti-gang operation. Van - 10.28.09: Turkish security forces opened fire on an Iranian fuel-smuggler, who was heavily wounded in the operation. Van - 10.28.09: Human Rights Union's Director has claimed that 3 people, who were killed in TAF's home raids, were at first caught alive and then executed by the soldiers. The Director has called TBMM's (Turkish Grand National Assembly) Human Rights Commission to deal with the incident. ADANA 00000066 004 OF 004 Siirt - 10.27.09: Security forces raided 24 separate addresses in anti-smuggling and organized crime operations. Van - 10.27.09: Unidentified people set 11 homes on fire in the past week. Tunceli - 10.27.09: Security forces seized 7,000 rounds of ammunition and arrested 2 people. Van - 10.26.09: Iranian troops opened fire on a group of smugglers who were trying to enter Turkey illegally. 1 smuggler was killed and 1 was wounded. Diyarbakir - 10.26.09: Security forces seized 26 unregistered pistols and 27 magazines in an organized crime operation. 2 people were detained. ¶5. Illegal immigrant arrests: 10.25.09 through 10.29.09: Security forces captured and deported 287 illegal immigrants from: Hakkari, Sanliurfa, Canakkale, Balikesir, Agri, Edirne, Sirnak, Van, Hatay, and the borders of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Greece. 2 Turks assisting them were caught in the operations. ¶6. Counter-narcotic operations: In 2009, police confiscated 562 kilogram of heroin, 87 kilograms of hashish and 16 kilograms of poppy gum and arrested 35 of 61 people in anti-narcotics operations. Hakkari - 10.30.09: Security forces confiscated 210 kilograms of hashish and arrested 2 people. Hakkari - 10.30.09: Security forces seized 210 kilograms of hashish and arrested 2 people. Diyarbakir - 10.30.09: Security forces seized 463 kilograms of hashish and arrested 5 people. Van and Istanbul - 10.30.09: Security forces seized 95 kilograms of hashish and arrested 3 people. Osmaniye - 10.28.09: Security forces seized 17 kilograms of hashish and arrested 1 person. Bitlis - 10.27.09: Security forces seized 6 kilograms of hashish and arrested 1 person. Diyarbakir - 10.27.09: Security forces confiscated 231 kilograms of hashish and 103 kilograms of cannabis seeds. 2 people were arrested in the operations. Diyarbakir - 10.27.09: Security forces seized 25 kilograms of hashish and arrested 3 people. Van - Security forces confiscated 39 kilograms of hashish and arrested 2 people. Van - 10.26.09: Security forces confiscated 108 kilograms of hashish and detained 3 people. Van - 10.26.09: Security forces confiscated 11 kilograms of hashish and arrested 3 people. DARNELL