SE TURKEY SECURITY INCIDENTS: FEBRUARY 10 - 15, 2010

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADANA 000013 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: FEBRUARY 10 - 15, 2010 ¶1. (U) The following security incidents for the period of February 10 - 15, 2010, 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. (U) Military operations against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) as reported by the Turkish General Staff (TGS): -------------- -------------- -------------- ¶A. Weapons, ammunition, and equipment seized: -------------- -------------- -------------- Mardin - 2.12.10: One Improvised Explosive Device (IED),one pressure sensitive IED, one round of RPG-7 ammunition, and logistical materials. Mardin - 2.11.10: Six rounds of RPG-7 ammunition, 127 rounds of Biksi machine gun ammunition, one pair of binoculars, one pressure-sensitive IED, and logistical materials. Diyarbakir - 2.11.10: One hand grenade and logistical materials. Tunceli - 2.11.10: Security forces found and destroyed one IED. -------------- -------------- ¶B. PKK members captured or surrendered: -------------- -------------- 2.10.10 through 2.15.10: Security forces captured seven PKK members. Mardin - 2.12.10: Security forces caught and arrested one PKK member. Hakkari - 2.10.10: One PKK member surrendered. ¶3. (U) Media reports related to PKK and pro-Kurdish organizations: -------------- ¶A. Anti-PKK operations: -------------- Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) anti-PKK operations in SE Turkey continued in Mardin, Hakkari, Sirnak, Diyarbakir and Tunceli. -------------- ¶B. Arrests: -------------- Tarsus - 2.15.10 - two people were arrested on the charge of "illegal actions on behalf of the PKK." Diyarbakir - 2.15.10: Security forces detained four minors preparing to join the PKK. Sanliurfa - 2.15.10: Security forces detained three people planning to carry out Molotov cocktail and bomb attacks on the February 15 anniversary of imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan's capture. Law enforcement seized materials used in making Molotov cocktails, gunpowder, fuses, illegal publications, and organizational documents. Hakkari - 2.14.10: Security forces arrested 32 people in simultaneous anti-KCK (Kurdish Democratic Confederation/Turkey Council) operations. (Note: KCK is considered by Turkish law enforcement to be the urban wing of the PKK. End note.) Mersin - 2.14.10: Security forces detained two people on the suspicion of terrorism. Sanliurfa - 2.14.10: Security forces detained an employee of the pro-Kurdish Azadiya Welat newspaper on the suspicion of terrorism. In a separate operation, a member of pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) was arrested on the charge of "membership in the PKK." Gaziantep - 2.13.10: Security forces detained 50 people in anti-KCK operations. 2.13.10: Turkish police arrested 86 people suspected of links with the PKK in operations in advance of the February 15 anniversary of Ocalan's capture. Police raids targeted the SE ADANA 00000013 002 OF 003 provinces of Adana, Batman, Hakkari, Mardin, Siirt, Sirnak, Agri, Mus and Van, as well as Istanbul. Van - 2.11.10: Security forces detained four people on the charge of "illegal actions on behalf of the PKK." Sanliurfa - 2.10.10: Security forces arrested an Azadiya Welat employee and a member of the pro-Kurdish student association HODER on charges of "membership in the PKK," and "making propaganda for the PKK." Sanliurfa - 2.10.10: Security forces detained three people allegedly preparing IEDs. In that raid, police allegedly found bomb-making materials identical to those used in earlier attacks in Diyarbakir and Adana. -------------- -------------- ¶C. Other media stories about the PKK: -------------- -------------- 2.15.10 -- Demonstrations and clashes broke out in predominantly Kurdish-populated areas, including Adana and Mersin, where hundreds of PKK supporters gathered to protest the 11th anniversary of the capture of imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan. Security forces detained over 110 people, including 35 minors in the incidents. 2.13.10 through 2.15.10: Mersin - PKK supporters attacked Siteler Police Station with fireworks and set fire to a 3-G communication station. In one raid, dozens of Molotov cocktails, organizational documents, and one rifle were seized. Hakkari - Approximately 3,000 PKK demonstrators gathered, stoning shops and banks, setting fire to trash barrels, and blocking streets. Seven people, including two police officers, were wounded. Police detained at least seven people. Adana - PKK sympathizers clashed with security forces in the city districts of Barbaros, Daglioglu, Gulbahcesi, Karasu and Sakirpasa. Police detained at least 13 people. Diyarbakir - Approximately 1,500 people joined in unauthorized street protests (note: this number is lower than past gatherings of nearly 5,000. End note). Security forces detained 28 people. Diyarbakir -- Pro-PKK "Viyan Soran Revenge Brigade" threw a percussion bomb at the 7th Army Corps Headquarters. Sanliurfa - Security forces detained almost 40 individuals after hundreds of PKK demonstrators chanted pro-PKK slogans. Sirnak - PKK supporters blocked the Cizre-Idil road to traffic. Five people were arrested on the charge of "illegal actions on behalf of the PKK." Adiyaman - PKK sympathizers clashed with security forces in Adiyaman city and in the Kahta district. PKK supporters attacked a Kahta court house with Molotov cocktails. Batman - After hundreds of people gathered in the "19 Mayis" district, police detained 13 on charges of "illegal actions on behalf of the PKK," and "membership in the PKK." Mardin - Pro-PKK "Martyred Aydin Erdem Revenge Unit" claimed responsibility for a percussion bomb that exploded near a police station in Kiziltepe district. Police detained at least 19 people on the suspicion of terrorism. Adana - 2.11.10: Law enforcement officials reported PKK supporters were behind the explosions of two sound bombs in the Beyazevler neighborhood. Sanliurfa - 2.11.10: Pro-PKK "Ocalan Youth Initiative" claimed responsibility for a Molotov cocktail attack on a BIM supermarket located in the Suleymaniye neighborhood. Hakkari - 2.11.10: Security forces intervened with pressurized water, tear gas and batons and PKK demonstrators responded with Molotov cocktails and stones. Mersin - 2.10.10: Fanatic nationalist students attacked a group of Kurdish students, seriously wounding two of them. Hakkari - 2.10.10: Security forces detained 33 people in an anti-KCK operation. ¶4. (U) Media reports on significant crime or security incidents: Sanliurfa - 2.15.10: Security forces seized three Kalashnikov rifles, two hunting rifles, six magazines and 576 rounds of ammunition, and 30 rounds of bullets in an anti-smuggling operation. Five people were detained in the operation. ¶5. (U) Illegal immigrant arrests: ADANA 00000013 003 OF 003 2.5.10 through 2.14.10: Security forces captured and deported 158 illegal immigrants from: Canakkale, Hatay, Sirnak, Hakkari, Bursa, Izmir, Erzurum and the border areas of Greece, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Georgia. ¶6. (U) Counter-narcotic operations: 2.12.10: Anadolu News Agency (AA) reported the Anti-smuggling and Organized Crime Bureau's Narcotics section has conducted more than 44,621 anti-drug operations since 2006 targeting the producers, smugglers and users of drugs, resulting in the detention of nearly 100,000 people. AA reported that in 2009, law enforcement seized 12,234 kilograms of heroin, 25,778 kilograms of cannabis, 391,770 tablets of ecstasy, and 2,798,090 Captagon tablets. According to official figures, over a four-year period, seizures of heroin, cannabis and Captagon tablets has increased, while there has been a decrease in the number of seized ecstasy tablets. Gaziantep - 2.11.10: Security forces seized 103 kilograms of hashish. Mersin-Bitlis-Gaziantep - 2.10.10: Security forces seized a total of 76 kilograms of hashish. Gaziantep - 2.10.10: Security forces detained 77 people. DARNELL