SE TURKEY SECURITY INCIDENTS: NOVEMBER 16-22, 2009

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADANA 000074 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR DS/IP/EUR, DS/IP/ITA, INR AND EUR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC PTER PINR CASC TU SUBJECT: SE TURKEY SECURITY INCIDENTS: NOVEMBER 16-22, 2009 ¶1. The following security incidents for the period of November 16-22 were compiled by the security assistant at Consulate Adana from RSO sources, to include Turkish security contacts, government officials and media. 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: Sirnak - 11.17.09: 2 zodiac boats, various logistical equipment, and food. ¶B. PKK members captured or surrendered: 11.16.09 though 11.22.09: Security forces captured five PKK members. Hatay - 11.20.09: Security forces caught 1 PKK member. Sanliurfa - 11.17.09: Security forces caught 1 PKK member. Adana - 11.17.09: Security forces caught 1 PKK member. ¶C. PKK attacks: Elazig - 11.19.09: Security forces found and destroyed an IED made of 100 grams of C-4 and mortar ammunition. Diyarbakir - 11.16.09: IED killed 4 animals. ¶3. Media reports related to PKK and pro-Kurdish organizations: ¶A. Anti-PKK operations: 11.16.09 through 11.22.09: Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) anti-PKK operations in SE Turkey continue. Many armored vehicles, military personnel and ammunition were deployed to Sirnak, Hakkari, Van, Sanliurfa, Hatay, Mus and Siirt. ¶B. Arrests: Diyarbakir - 11.22.09: 1 person arrested on the charge of "making propaganda for the PKK." Sanliurfa - 11.22.09: Security forces detained 1 person on the suspicion of terrorism. Bingol - 11.21.09: 1 person arrested on the charge of "making propaganda for the PKK." Siirt - 11.21.09: Security forces detained 3 people on the charge of "making propaganda for the PKK." Sirnak - 11.21.09: Security forces detained 1 person on the suspicion of terrorism. Hakkari - 11.21.09: A former member of the DTP's youth branch was arrested on the charge of "making propaganda for the PKK." Sanliurfa - 11.21.09: DTP district chairman sentenced to 3 years in prison on the charge of "making propaganda for the PKK." Sirnak - 11.20.09: 1 person under investigation on the suspicion of terrorism. Siirt - 11.19.09: A DTP Administrator was sentenced to 13 years in prison on the charges of "violating restrictions on marches and demonstrations," and "carrying out illegal action on behalf of the PKK." Diyarbakir - 11.19.09: 1 minor (17) released after almost 7 months detention on the charge of "making propaganda for the PKK." Sanliurfa - 11.19.09: 66 DTP members, who were fined for "making propaganda for the PKK," are preparing to take their case to the European Human Rights Court (AIHM). Sirnak - 11.17.09: Security forces detained 3 people on the suspicion of terrorism. Adana - 11.17.09: 2 members of the pro-Kurdish YDG-M (Patriotic Democratic Youth Movement) were arrested on the charge of "carrying out illegal action on behalf of the PKK." Hakkari - 11.17.09: DTP district chairman and his deputy were ADANA 00000074 002 OF 003 fined 600 Turkish lira on the charge of "making propaganda for the PKK." Tunceli - 11.16.09: Security forces detained 1 DTP official on the suspicion of terrorism. ¶C. Other media stories about PKK: 11.22.09: Transportation Minister rejected DTP MP Siirt's proposal for flight announcements in Kurdish. Sirnak - 11.22.09: Thousands of people joined in a meeting held by the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy organization. The participants chanted pro-PKK slogans. 11.21.09: Turkish Interior Minister Atalay announced the government plans to intensify its efforts to repatriate more than half of those in the Makhmour refugee camp, located in northern Iraq and home to a large number of PKK members, as part of the government's democratic initiative aimed at resolving the Kurdish issue. Atalay said almost 11,000 people are expected to surrender and return to Turkey. Sirrnak - 11.21.09: Members of pro-Kurdish groups, including SAR-DER, MEYA-DER, KURDI-DER and DTP, protested the construction of a hydroelectric plant. Tunceli - 11.21.09: TAF declared military security zones in several districts due to impending anti-PKK military operations; the public is banned from entering or exiting the area between the dates of November 24, 2009 and February 24, 2010. Sanliurfa - 11.21.09: PKK supporters commemorated the organization's founding on November 27, 1978. Police intervened with tear gas and pressurized water while the demonstrators responded with Molotov cocktails. No casualties reported. Antakya - 11.21.09: Members of pro-Kurdish Democracy Platform in Antakya issued a press statement condemning the CHP and chanted anti-CHP slogans. 11.19.09: PKK's Chief Murat Karayilan threatened, "Unless TGNA solves the Kurdish issue, a war will break out." 11.19.09: According to pro-PKK website ANF, Sirnak's 23rd Division launched an investigation against 18 officers who objected taking part in continuing anti-PKK military operations. 11.18.09 through 11.21.09: In Van, Mersin, Adana and Izmir provinces, security forces detained several people and destroyed 18,000 books written about imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan.. Imrali Island - 11.17.09: Ocalan is no longer the sole inmate of the island prison as five convicts were transferred to the prison complex. 11.16.09: 7 PKK members, who recently surrendered to security forces, were freed. 11.21.09: Speaking on the Heron plane issue, Turkish Minister Gonul said Turkey has given Israel a 50-day deadline to fulfill a number of terms of the agreement. Turkey uses the Herons for surveillance activities against the PKK. ¶4. Media reports on significant crime or security incidents: Adana - 11.22.09 (1000-1600 local time): Members of the People's Liberation Front held an anti-U.S. demonstration near Incirlik Air Base, protesting the U.S. presence in the region. Nearly 350 people joined in the protest, chanting slogans such as: "USA get out of the Middle East," "USA get out of Turkey, this is our country," "Damn American Imperialism," "Shut down Incirlik Air Base," "Long live our struggle; damn the USA," "We don't want 142,000 US soldiers in our country," "We will not be the killer of Afghanistan's people," and, "We will not be the soldiers of NATO, U.S. and AK Party." Approximately 350 security forces took exceptional security precautions both at the U.S. Consulate and Incirlik Air Base, including helicopter a patrol. No arrests reported. The protest received extensive coverage from local and national news outlets. Adiyaman - 11.22.09: Unidentified assailants attacked a civilian vehicle with long-range rifles, killing one and wounding another. Sirnak - 11.22.09: Iranian troops killed a fuel smuggler in a border village. Sirnak - 11.22.09: Unidentified thieves broke into the Mor Yakup ADANA 00000074 003 OF 003 Syriac Church and stole a 200-year-old Bible. Diyarbakir - 11.22.09: Violent crime is on the rise in the Ergani district, where 8 people have been killed in the past 3 months. Mersin - 11.22.09: Police found 2 corpses in a well. Sirmak - 11.20.09: Security forces detained 25 people in anti-organized-crime operation; 4 were later arrested. Adana - 11.22.09: Security forces caught a person who robbed a Turkish Postal Service branch. Adiyaman - 11.20.09: 1 person was shot dead. The motive is unknown. Hakkari - 11.20.09: Unidentified people set an Iranian vehicle on fire. Mardin - 11.21.09: Security forces seized 5 unregistered pistols and detained 1 person. Hakkari - 11.19.09: Unidentified people bombed the vehicle of Semdinli's AK Party Chairman; no causalities reported. Hakkari - 11.19.09: Passersby found a hand grenade on the roof of a home in the Semdinli District. The hand grenade was destroyed on site. Adana - 11.17.09: Adana TNP's Security Branch Chief visited the DTP Provincial Building and warned against possible attacks. The Chief also recommended the installation of surveillance equipment. Osmaniye - 11.17.09: Security forces confiscated 5 unregistered pistols and detained 2 people. Sirnak - 11.17.09: A person was shot dead. The motive is unknown. ¶5. Illegal immigrant arrests: 11.11.09 through 11.19.09: Security forces captured and deported 520 illegal immigrants from: Tokat, Hakkari, Agri, Yalova, Hatay, Kirklareli, Diyarbakir, Edirne, Canakkale, Van, Mugla, Sirnak, Erzurum, the Aegean Coast and the borders of Greece, Syria, Iraq and Iran. ¶6. Counter-narcotic operations: Mersin - 11.21.09: Security forces seized 5 kilograms of hashish and detained 2 people. Bitlis - 11.20.09: Security forces seized 123 kilograms hashish and arrested 1 person. Gaziantep - 11.19.09: Security forces seized 16 kilograms of hashish and almost 10,000 pills; 12 people were detained in the operation. Diyarbakir - 11.17.09: Security forces seized 71 kilograms of heroin and 381 kilograms of hashish; 23 people were detained and 19 of them later were arrested. Adana - 11.17.09: Security forces seized 6 kilograms of hashish and detained 5 people. Sirnak - 11.16.09: Security forces seized 40 kilograms of hashish and detained 2 people. DARNELL