ARREST OF PKK MEMBERS IN IZMIR

C O N F I D E N T I A L IZMIR 00740 E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR TAGS: PTER TU SUBJECT: ARREST OF PKK MEMBERS IN IZMIR REFS: (A) ANKARA 10958, (B) IZMIR 710 ¶1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT. ¶2. CHIEF PROSECUTOR OF THE IZMIR STATE SECURITY COURT, HULUSI OGUTCU, TOLD POL/ECONOFF AND VISITING DESK OFFICER HUGGINS ON AUGUST 31 THAT IT WAS THE GOVERNMENT'S VIEW THAT THE ARRESTS REPORTED IN REFTELS HAD CLEARED THE PROBLEM OF POTENTIAL PKK ACTIVITY IN TOURIST AREAS OF THE AEGEAN. HE SAID THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO MORE DANGER IN CITIES LIKE IZMIR OR ANTALYA TO TOURIST FACILITIES. OGUTCU ALSO SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT TOOK MORE SERIOUSLY THE PROPAGANDA ACTIVITIES OF WHICH THESE 9 PERSONS STAND ACCUSED THAN THE BOMB WHICH THEY REPORTEDLY SET, PARTICULARLY AS THE BOMBS WERE INEFFECTIVE AND HAVE CAUSED NO DEATHS. ¶3. (COMMENT: WHILE OGUTCU COULD BE ON AN OFFICIAL LEVEL EXPECTED TO TAKE A VIEW THAT THERE WOULD BE NO FURTHER PROBLEMS, WE HAD THE IMPRESSION THAT HE MAY BELIEVE IT. IF SO, THE VIEW CERTAINLY SEEMS OVER OPTIMISTIC TO US, IN VIEW OF THE RESERVE OF MANPOWER IN THE EAST WHICH THE PKK COULD USE IF IT IS REALLY PLANNING A CAMPAIGN TO DISRUPT TURKEY'S TOURIST INDUSTRY. ON THE OTHER HAND, SINCE THE THREATS AGAINST TOURISM WERE MADE BY A SPLINTER GROUP,IT MAY BE THAT THE POLICE FEEL CONFIDENT THEY HAVE CAPTURED ALL THAT GROUP'S LOYALISTS.) ¶4. OGUTCU RECENTLY MOVED INTO HIS POST AFTER FOUR YEARS IN A SIMILAR POST IN DIYARBAKIR. CERTAINLY, AS HE POINTED OUT HIMSELF, PKK ACTIVITY IN IZMIR AND THE AEGEAN AREA IS MINUSCULE COMPARED TO THAT IN THE EAST. ¶5. WE WILL CONTINUE TO TRY TO DEVELOP INFORMATION ON THIS TOPIC FROM OTHER CONTACTS. WILLIAMS