Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
86ANKARA9557
1986-09-17 09:51:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
MFA SPECULATION ON MOTIVES FOR NEVE SHALOM
how-toR 170951Z SEP 86 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4084 INFO AMCONSUL ADANA AMCONSUL ISTANBUL AMCONSUL IZMIR AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 09557
E.O. 12356: DECL/OADR
TAGS: PREL PTER TU IS
SUBJECT: MFA SPECULATION ON MOTIVES FOR NEVE SHALOM
ATTACK
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 09557
E.O. 12356: DECL/OADR
TAGS: PREL PTER TU IS
SUBJECT: MFA SPECULATION ON MOTIVES FOR NEVE SHALOM
ATTACK
1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.
2. DURING A LUNCHEON ON SEPTEMBER 15, MFA OFFICE
DIRECTOR FOR THE LEVANT AND NORTH AFRICA, SOLMAZ
UNAYDIN, OBVIOUSLY STILL APPALLED AT THE WANTON
SLAUGHTER, TOLD POLOFF THAT THE MFA IS AT A LOSS TO
EXPLAIN THE MOTIVES FOR THE NEVE SHALOM MASSACRE.
CONSIDERING THE PECULIAR AWFULNESS IN MUSLIM EYES OF
KILLING PEOPLE AT PRAYER, SHE SAID, IT WAS HARD TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT ANY ARAB OR OTHER MUSLIM GROUP COULD
HAVE HOPED TO GAIN. THE OFFICIAL ADMITTED THAT IT
WAS POSSIBLE THAT SOME MILITANT GROUP COULD HAVE
WISHED TO EMBROIL TURKEY IN THE MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT,
BUT SHE BELIEVED THAT THIS WAS LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN
ONLY A SUBSIDIARY MOTIVE. SIMILARLY, SHE ARGUED THAT
IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN PARTLY AN ATTEMPT TO SEPARATE
TURKEY FROM THE UNITED STATES OR--LESS
LIKELY--ISRAEL. THIS WAS NOT THE MOST PROBABLE
THEORY, SHE CONTENDED, BECAUSE THE PREDICTABLE NET
EFFECT WOULD HAVE BEEN WHAT IN FACT TRANSPIRED,
INCREASED COOPERATION AGAINST TERRORISM AMONG THE
THREE NATIONS, AND A GREATER IMPETUS TOWARD SIMILAR
COOPERATION BETWEEN TURKEY AND THE WESTERN EUROPEAN
STATES.
3. MRS. UNAYDIN BELIEVES THAT IT IS MOST SIGNIFICANT
THAT WITHIN ONLY A FEW DAYS BOTH TURKEY AND PAKISTAN,
THE MOST STABLE AND MODERATE MUSLIM ALLIES OF THE
UNITED STATES IN THE REGION, SHOULD HAVE BEEN
ATTACKED IN THIS WAY. SHE SPECULATED THAT THE
TERRORIST ACTS MIGHT HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO EMBARRASS
THE TWO STATES, AND TO CONSTITUTE SOME SORT OF
WARNING AGAINST THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THE PEACE
PROCESS OR AGAINST ANY ACTIONS CONTRARY TO THE
INTERESTS OF MILITANT MUSLIMS.
4. WHILE SHE COULD NOT SAY WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE,
UNAYDIN ASKED POLOFF WHETHER THE UNITED STATES HAD
ANY BETTER INFORMATION THAN TURKEY ABOUT THE
POSSIBILITY THAT ABU NIDAL HAD BEEN BEHIND THE TWO
EVENTS. THEY BOTH SEEMED TO BEAR HIS GROUP'S
HALLMARKS: CAREFUL PLANNING AND EXECUTION.
STRAUSZ-HUPE
E.O. 12356: DECL/OADR
TAGS: PREL PTER TU IS
SUBJECT: MFA SPECULATION ON MOTIVES FOR NEVE SHALOM
ATTACK
1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.
2. DURING A LUNCHEON ON SEPTEMBER 15, MFA OFFICE
DIRECTOR FOR THE LEVANT AND NORTH AFRICA, SOLMAZ
UNAYDIN, OBVIOUSLY STILL APPALLED AT THE WANTON
SLAUGHTER, TOLD POLOFF THAT THE MFA IS AT A LOSS TO
EXPLAIN THE MOTIVES FOR THE NEVE SHALOM MASSACRE.
CONSIDERING THE PECULIAR AWFULNESS IN MUSLIM EYES OF
KILLING PEOPLE AT PRAYER, SHE SAID, IT WAS HARD TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT ANY ARAB OR OTHER MUSLIM GROUP COULD
HAVE HOPED TO GAIN. THE OFFICIAL ADMITTED THAT IT
WAS POSSIBLE THAT SOME MILITANT GROUP COULD HAVE
WISHED TO EMBROIL TURKEY IN THE MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT,
BUT SHE BELIEVED THAT THIS WAS LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN
ONLY A SUBSIDIARY MOTIVE. SIMILARLY, SHE ARGUED THAT
IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN PARTLY AN ATTEMPT TO SEPARATE
TURKEY FROM THE UNITED STATES OR--LESS
LIKELY--ISRAEL. THIS WAS NOT THE MOST PROBABLE
THEORY, SHE CONTENDED, BECAUSE THE PREDICTABLE NET
EFFECT WOULD HAVE BEEN WHAT IN FACT TRANSPIRED,
INCREASED COOPERATION AGAINST TERRORISM AMONG THE
THREE NATIONS, AND A GREATER IMPETUS TOWARD SIMILAR
COOPERATION BETWEEN TURKEY AND THE WESTERN EUROPEAN
STATES.
3. MRS. UNAYDIN BELIEVES THAT IT IS MOST SIGNIFICANT
THAT WITHIN ONLY A FEW DAYS BOTH TURKEY AND PAKISTAN,
THE MOST STABLE AND MODERATE MUSLIM ALLIES OF THE
UNITED STATES IN THE REGION, SHOULD HAVE BEEN
ATTACKED IN THIS WAY. SHE SPECULATED THAT THE
TERRORIST ACTS MIGHT HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO EMBARRASS
THE TWO STATES, AND TO CONSTITUTE SOME SORT OF
WARNING AGAINST THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THE PEACE
PROCESS OR AGAINST ANY ACTIONS CONTRARY TO THE
INTERESTS OF MILITANT MUSLIMS.
4. WHILE SHE COULD NOT SAY WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE,
UNAYDIN ASKED POLOFF WHETHER THE UNITED STATES HAD
ANY BETTER INFORMATION THAN TURKEY ABOUT THE
POSSIBILITY THAT ABU NIDAL HAD BEEN BEHIND THE TWO
EVENTS. THEY BOTH SEEMED TO BEAR HIS GROUP'S
HALLMARKS: CAREFUL PLANNING AND EXECUTION.
STRAUSZ-HUPE