TURKEY: 1992 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 15625


FOR S/CT FOR REAP

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PTER TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: 1992 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

REF: STATE 338430


1. PER REFTEL INSTRUCTIONS, THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION
RESPONDS TO ITEMS (A) THROUGH (I).

A) THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT HAS NO PROSECUTIONS INVOLVING
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM IN TRAIN AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER,
THE GOT IS PROCEEDING WITH MULTIPLE PROSECUTIONS AGAINST
DOMESTIC TERRORISTS AS OF NOVEMBER 1992. THE TURKISH
NATIONAL POLICE (TNP) MOUNTED SEVERAL SUCCESSFUL
OPERATIONS AGAINST DOMESTIC TERRORISTS DURING 1992, MOST
NOTABLY IN A SERIES OF "SAFE HOUSE" RAIDS IN ISTANBUL,
ANKARA, ADANA AND IZMIR. THE TNP TOOK INTO CUSTODY
SCORES OF PERSONS SUSPECTED OF TERRORIST ACTS. SOME OF
THOSE APPREHENDED ARE BELIEVED TO BE AFFILIATED WITH
DEV-SOL ("DEVRIMCI SOL" OR REVOLUTIONARY LEFT),
INCLUDING ONE SUSPECT WHO IS CURRENTLY ON TRIAL IN IZMIR
FOR COMPLICITY IN THE FEBRUARY 1991 ASSASSINATION
ATTEMPT ON USAF LT. COL. ALVIN MACKE. (THE PRIMARY
SUSPECT IN THE MACKE ATTACK IS BELIEVED TO HAVE DIED IN
1991 WHEN AN IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE HE WAS
ATTEMPTING TO PLANT EXPLODED PREMATURELY.) PERSONS
SUSPECTED OF PARTICIPATING IN ATTEMPTED ROCKET ATTACKS
AGAINST THE U.S. CONSULATE-GENERAL IN ISTANBUL FACE
TRIAL AT THE STATE SECURITY COURT THERE. OTHERS ARE ON
TRIAL FOR TERRORIST ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN ON BEHALF OF
THE OUTLAWED SEPARATIST KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, THE
PKK. ALL PERSONS APPREHENDED BY THE TURKISH NATIONAL
POLICE AND ARRAIGNED ON CHARGES RELATING TO TERRORIST
ACTIVITY ARE KEPT IN DETENTION AS THEIR TRIALS PROCEED.

B) EMBASSY KNOWS OF NO EXTRADITIONS OR REQUESTED
EXTRADITIONS OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS FOR PROSECUTION TO
DATE IN 1992. IN NOVEMBER PRESS REPORTS SPECULATED THAT
THE GOVERNMENT OF TURKEY MIGHT REQUEST EXTRADITION OF
PKK GUERRILLAS, INCLUDING THE PKK MILITARY HEAD OSMAN
OCALAN, WHO REPORTEDLY HAVE COME INTO THE CUSTODY OF THE
PESHMERGA FORCES IN NORTHERN IRAQ. THERE HAS BEEN NO/NO
OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT ON THIS SUBJECT TO DATE.

C) TURKEY EXPERIENCES NO SIGNIFICANT IMPEDIMENTS TO
GOVERNMENT PROSECUTION AND/OR EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED
TERRORISTS. THE ABILITY OF TURKISH SECURITY FORCES TO
CAPTURE PERSONS SUSPECTED OF TERRORIST ACTS IS THE MAIN
LIMITATION ON MORE PROSECUTIONS.

D) HOST GOVERNMENT RESPONSES OTHER THAN PROSECUTION
HAVE INCLUDED FREQUENT AND VIGOROUS PUBLIC DENUNCIATIONS
OF TERRORISM. ANTI-TERROR RHETORIC PUNCTUATED THE
PUBLIC DISCOURSE OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FROM THE PRIME
MINISTER ON DOWN THROUGHOUT 1992. THE SEMI-OFFICIAL
ANATOLIA NEWS AGENCY ALSO PROVIDED TRANSCRIPTS OF
GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS VOWING TO CRUSH TERRORISM IN
TURKEY. THE GOVERNMENT OF TURKEY HAS COOPERATED WITH
U.S. AND OTHER THIRD COUNTRY AUTHORITIES TO DETER
TERRORIST THREATS.

E) MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN IN 1992 BY
THE HOST GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING STEPS TAKEN IN
INTERNATIONAL FORA, INCLUDE:
-- ANTI-PKK OFFENSIVES BY MILITARY AND JANDARMA FORCES,
WHICH HAVE OCCURRED WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY IN 1992.
MOST OF THESE HAVE OCCURRED INSIDE TURKEY'S BORDERS, BUT
THE MILITARY HAS CONDUCTED CROSS-BORDER OPERATIONS IN
HOT PURSUIT OF PKK ATTACKERS INTO BOTH IRAQ AND IRAN.
SINCE OCTOBER 5, A MAJOR OFFENSIVE BY TURKISH MILITARY
FORCES (IN COOPERATION WITH PESHMERGA FORCES) HAS SOUGHT
TO DRIVE THE PKK FROM ITS CAMPS IN NORTHERN IRAQ.
-- TNP RAIDS (ESPECIALLY THOSE IN MAY AND AUGUST)
AGAINST DEV-SOL SAFEHOUSES IN MAJOR URBAN CENTERS
RESULTED IN THE CAPTURE OF SOME OF THE TERROR
ORGANIZATION'S LEADERS ALONG WITH RANK-AND-FILE MEMBERS;
THE SEIZURE OF WEAPONS, AMMUNITION, AND MATERIALS FOR
MAKING BOMBS; AND THE ACQUISITION OF DOCUMENTS VALUABLE
TO INTELLIGENCE AND COUNTER-TERROR OFFICERS.
-- TURKISH GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS TO STRENGTHEN THE
ANTI-TERROR POSITION OF THE CSCE, ALONG WITH CONTINUING
TURKISH SUPPORT OF EXISTING INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS
AND AGREEMENTS ON TERRORISM.

F) THE GOVERNMENT OF TURKEY DOES NOT SUPPORT
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM; TURKEY OPPOSES TERRORISM,
DOMESTIC OR INTERNATIONAL, AND MAKES ITS POSITION
OUTSPOKENLY CLEAR AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY. WHILE TURKEY
DOES MAINTAIN DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH IRAN, LIBYA,
SYRIA, IRAQ AND THE PLO, WE WOULD NOT CHARACTERIZE
TURKEY'S RELATIONS WITH THESE AS CONSTITUTING
"DIPLOMATIC SUPPORT" FOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.

G) TURKEY HAS MADE NO PUBLIC STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF A
TERRORIST-SUPPORTING COUNTRY ON A TERRORISM ISSUE.

H) THERE HAS BEEN NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE SINCE 1991 IN
TURKEY'S ATTITUDE TOWARD TERRORISM, INTERNATIONAL OR
DOMESTIC. IF ANYTHING, THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT'S
ANTI-TERRORIST STANCE HAS BECOME EVEN MORE OUTSPOKEN AND
ADAMANT.

I) IN FORMAL TERMS, TURKEY CONSIDERS ITSELF "IN
COMPLIANCE" WITH UNSCR 748: TURKISH AIRLINES FLIGHTS TO
LIBYA AND LIBYAN ARAB AIRLINES FLIGHTS TO TURKEY CEASED;
TURKEY HAD NO EXISTING MILITARY SUPPLY AND TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE RELATIONSHIP WITH LIBYA; TURKEY BARRED LIBYAN
ARAB AIRLINES PERSONNEL FROM ITS AIRPORTS AND LAA
OFFICES CLOSED FOR LACK OF BUSINESS.
TURKEY HAS NOT, HOWEVER, MADE A "SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION"
IN DIPLOMATIC STAFFING. TURKEY MAINTAINS ITS 3-4 PERSON
EMBASSY IN TRIPOLI (CITING THE NEED TO SERVE THE
THOUSANDS OF TURKISH CONTRACT EMPLOYEES WORKING IN
LIBYA) AND REFUSES TO EXPEL ANY LIBYAN DIPLOMATS FROM
THE EMBASSY IN ANKARA. (THE DIPLOMATIC BOOK LISTS 11
LIBYANS--INCLUDING TWO "FINANCIAL ATTACHES"--AS POSTED
IN ANKARA.)

BARKLEY