Cablegate: 22 Pkk Terrorists Arrested

R 220830Z AUG 88
FM AMCONSUL IZMIR
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7538
INFO AMEMBASSY ANKARA
AMCONSUL ISTANBUL
AMCONSUL ADANA

UNCLAS IZMIR 00710

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PTER
SUBJECT: 22 PKK TERRORISTS ARRESTED

REF: ANKARA 9490

1. LOCAL PRESS AUGUST 19-20 CARRIED SPLASHY REPORTS
OF COORDINATED POLICE RAIDS IN IZMIR AND ANTALYA
WHICH NETTED A TOTAL OF 22 ACCUSED PKK TERRORISTS.
(A TOTAL OF MORE THAN FIFTY WERE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY
INITIALLY BUT ONLY 22 ACTUALLY WERE HELD.) ALSO SEIZED
WERE A VARIETY OF EXPLOSIVES, HANDGUNS, AND WRITTEN
AND TAPED PROPAGANDA IN BOTH TURKISH AND KURDISH.
(THIS INCIDENTALLY IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE SEEN
THE PRESS HERE USE THE TERM "KURDISH" IN REFERENCE
TO LANGUAGE.)

2. AMONG THE CRIMES TO WHICH MEMBERS OF THE ARRESTED
GROUP HAVE SUPPOSEDLY ALREADY ADMITTED ARE: THE
BOMBING OF THE IZMIR SUMERBANK RETAIL STORE ON
DECEMBER 29, 1987 (87 IZMIR 1213); A BOMB PLACED IN A
GARBAGE BIN AT A CENTRAL BUS STATION IN IZMIR IN LATE
JUNE, 1988 (WHICH WE DID NOT REPORT BECAUSE AT THE
TIME THERE WERE REPORTS THAT THE EXPLOSION HAD BEEN
CAUSED BY A DISCARDED AEROSOL CAN, WHICH POLICE WOULD
NEITHER CONFIRM NOR DENY); THE BOMB WHICH WENT OFF
AT THE HOTEL BILGEHAN IN ANTALYA ON JUNE 6 (IZMIR 490);
AND A NUMBER OF OTHER ACTS OF VIOLENCE AND/OR
PROPAGANDA.

WILLIAMS

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