Cablegate: Se Turkey Security Incidents: December 21-27, 2009

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RR RUEHDA
DE RUEHDA #0081/01 3631444
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 291444Z DEC 09
FM AMCONSUL ADANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4822
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1364
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1128
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1431

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ADANA 000081

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: DECEMBER 21-27, 2009

1. The following security incidents for the period of December
21-27, 2009, 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.
Note that this week's cable includes information from as early
as November 23, due to the temporary lapse in our weekly
reporting.

2. Military operations against the Kurdistan Workers' Party
(PKK) as reported by the Turkish General Staff:

A. Weapons, ammunition, and equipment seized:

Mardin - 12.24.09: 400 grams of C-4, and a hand grenade made of
5 kg of ammonium nitrate.

Hakkari - 12.24.09: 1 anti-personnel landmine (VS-50).

Mardin - 12.20.09: 600 grams of A-4 plastic explosive, 2
electric fuses, 15 meters of cable and logistical equipment.

Van - 12.17.09: 5 rounds of mortar ammunition, 16 rounds of
Biksi machine gun ammunition (7.62 mm).

Diyarbakir - 12.16.09: An IED made of mortar ammunition.

Van - 12.13.09: 1 Kalashnikov rifle, 1 magazine, 9 rounds of
bullets and 7 kilograms of hashish.

Siirt - 12.11.09: 1 RPG-7 rocket launcher and 2 rounds of RPG-7
ammunition.

Bitlis - 12.11.09: 2 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, 110
kilograms of food.

Mus - 12.10.09: 14 rounds of Kalashnikov rifle, 2 magazines, 15
meters of electric cable, 20 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, food
and logistical equipment.

Sirnak - 12.04.09: 1 pen designed to conceal an assassination
rifle, 6 rounds of bullets, 2 hand grenades, 4 hunting bullets,
1 voice recorder, food and logistical material. In a separate
operation on the same day, security forces recovered 1 M-16
infantry rifle, 1 sniper rifle (Kannas), 1 wireless radio, and
ammunition.

Siirt - 12.01.09: A booby-trapped IED.

Gaziantep - 12.04.09: A booby-trapped IED.

Sirnak - 11.30.09: An IED and 1 rocket launcher.

Sirnak - 11.30.09: 2 Kalashnikov rifles, 6 magazines, 154 rounds
of ammunition, 2 hand grenades, food and logistical equipment.

Sirnak - 11.26.09: 1 pistol, 4 magazines, 86 rounds of
ammunition, 1 pair of binoculars, 2 cell phone memory cards, and
logistical equipment.

Batman - 11.26.09: 1 hand grenade, an IED made of 50 grams of
C-4 and 4 electric fuses.

B. PKK members captured or surrendered:

Siirt - 12.25.09: 1 PKK member surrendered.

Van - 12.17.09: 1 PKK member surrendered.

Sirnak - 12.17.09: 4 PKK members surrendered.

Hakkari - 12.14.09: 1 PKK member surrendered.

Tunceli - 12.11.09: 1 PKK member surrendered.

Sirnak - 12.09.09: 9 PKK members surrendered.

Sanliurfa - 12.08.09: 1 PKK member arrested.

Hakkari - 12.06.09: 2 PKK members surrendered.

Sirnak - 12.04.09: 2 PKK members killed.

Sirnak - 11.30.09: 1 PKK member was killed.

C. PKK attacks:

Hakkari - 12.14.09: Military patrol team attacked by a group of

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PKK member with long-range rifles; no injuries reported.

Hakkari - 12.11.09: 3 security personnel wounded in a clash.

Mardin - 12.09.09: PKK members attacked the Beyazsubasi Gendarme
Station with long-range rifles; no injuries reported.

Batman - 12.09.09: PKK members set construction equipment on
fire.

Tunceli - 12.09.09: PKK members stole 6 rifles from hunters in
the region.

Batman - 12.07.09: PKK members attacked the Besiri Gendarme
Station with 3 hand grenades and Kalasnikov rifles; 2 soldiers
injured.

Van - 12.06.09: A booby-trapped explosive damaged a military
vehicle.

Hakkari - 12.06.09: PKK members attacked a military patrol team
with long-range rifles; no injuries reported.

Diyarbakir - 12.05.09: A shepherd was wounded in an IED blast.

Mardin - 12.04.09: 1 soldier was killed and 1 wounded in a
clash.

Sirnak - 12.01.09: 1 soldier was wounded in an IED blast.

Siirt - 11.30.09: A civilian was wounded in an IED blast.

3. Media reports related to PKK and pro-Kurdish organizations

A. Anti-PKK operations:

Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) anti-PKK operations in SE Turkey
continue in Hakkari, Sirnak, Siirt, Mardin, Van, Batman,
Diyarbakir and Gaziantep.

N. Iraq - 12.27.09: TAF artillery teams bombed Zap region; no
casualties reported.

B. Arrests:

Mus - 12.27.09: Security forces arrested 4 people on the charge
of "making propaganda for the PKK."

Sirnak - 12.27.09: Security forces arrested 17 people on the
charges of "membership in an outlawed organization" and "making
propaganda for the PKK."

Van - 12.26.09: Security forces arrested 11 people on the
charges of "making propaganda for the PKK" and "damaging public
property." Over the last month, security forces detained 34
people in the same area on the suspicion of terrorism.

Mardin - 12.25.09: Security forces arrested 14 people on the
charge of "carrying out illegal action on behalf of the PKK."
Separately, security forces arrested 18 people on the charge of
"making propaganda for the PKK".

Van - 12.25.09: 8 university students were sentenced to a
cumulative 50 years in prison on the charge of "membership in
the PKK."

Sanliurfa - 12.24.09: Security forces arrested 4 people on the
charges of "making propaganda for the PKK" and "damaging public
property."

Bitlis - 12.24.09: Security forces arrested 3 on the charge of
"making propaganda for the PKK."

Sirnak - 12.24.09: According to reports, 1,358 children have
been investigated under the suspicion of terrorism between 2005
and 2009.

Bitlis - 12.23.09: Security forces arrested 3 people on the
charges of "assisting and harboring the PKK," and "chanting
illegal slogan in favor of the PKK."

Sanliurfa - 12.23.09: Security forces arrested a student on the
charges of "carrying out illegal action on behalf of the PKK,"
and "instigating hatred and animosity." 15 DTP (Democratic
Society Party) members were sentenced to 1-2 years in prison on
the charge of "violating restrictions on marches and
demonstrations."

Diyarbakir - 12.22.09: Security forces arrested 5 people on the
charge of "assisting and harboring the PKK."

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Diyarbakir and Batman - 12.22.09: Security forces detained 10
people on the suspicion of terrorism. 5 were later arrested on
the charge of "extortion on behalf of the PKK."

Mardin - 12.21.09: Security forces detained 7 people in an
operation against the PKK's youth branch, YDG-M.

Tunceli - 12.21.09: Security forces arrested 3 people who joined
in Molotov cocktail attacks.

Sanliurfa - 12.21.09: DTP Deputy Mayor of Ceylanpinar was
sentenced to a year in prison on the charge of "making
propaganda for the PKK."

Hakkari - 12.21.09: Security forces detained 3 people on the
suspicion of terrorism.

Sanliurfa - 12.20.09: Security forces arrested 9 people on the
charges of "making propaganda for the PKK," and "membership in
the PKK."

Mardin - 12.19.09: Security forces arrested 2 PKK members who
were in preparations to carry out a bomb attack. An explosive
device made of 685 grams of A-4, 3 hand grenades, 2 more kg of
A-4, 2 electric fuses and logistical equipment were seized in
the operation.

Mus - 12.15.09 through 12.27.09: Security forces detained 39 PKK
sympathizers on the suspicion of terrorism and arrested 14 on
the charge of "making propaganda for the PKK" following a series
of violent protests. 2 PKK supporters were killed during a
protest on December 15.

C. Other media stories about PKK:

N.Iraq - 12.26.09: According to KCK reports. 216 attacks,
including 49 air-strikes have been launched by Turkish Armed
Forces (TSK) in the last 11 months. 94 PKK members and 128
soldiers were killed in clashes.

12.26.09 - Pro-PKK web site ANF reported that 49 Kurdish
smugglers were killed by Iranian or Turkish troops since July
2009.

Diyarbakir - 12.25.09: The Kurdish mayor of Diyarbakir could be
prosecuted for expletive-laden statements he made in response to
an operation targeting alleged Kurdish militants that resulted
in the detention of 35 people, the head of Parliament's
Constitution Commission said Friday.

SE Turkey - 12.24.09 through 12.27.09: Security forces detained
36 people in simultaneous operations in several provinces
against the Kurdish Democratic Confederation (KCK), an
organization that allegedly functions as the urban arm of the
PKK. Eight detainees were reportedly released on Friday night.
The Diyarbakir Chief Prosecutor's Office initiated a series of
operations on Wednesday in 11 provinces, including Ankara,
Istanbul, Izmir, Diyarbakir, Siirt, Hakkari, Tunceli, Batman,
Sanliurfa, Sirnak and Van.
Police clashed with stone-throwing Kurdish demonstrators
protesting the recent arrest of 23 Kurds on charges of links to
the PKK. The 23 - charged late Friday - were among 36 people
detained in a nationwide crackdown on people suspected of links
to the PKK. Those charged include seven mayors. PKK supporters
attacked with stones and Molotov Cocktails and security forces
responded with tear gas, pressurized water and batons. Details
of security related security incidents follows:

Sirnak - Demonstrations reported in three districts, including
the Cizre-Silopi highway which they blocked with burning trash
barrels. At least 3 minors detained.

Batman - PKK supporters stoned the Turkish Telecom building and
threw Molotov cocktails.

Bingol - A civilian vehicle was set on fire.

Mus - Unidentified people attacked 2 municipal buses with
stones, breaking all windows.

Siirt - PKK supporters attacked an AK Party's District building
with Molotov cocktails.

Sanliurfa - Almost 60 PKK supporters clashed with security
forces.

Hakkari - 10 people, including 3 security officers were wounded.
Police opened fire in the air. A civilian vehicle was stoned,
and at least 10 demonstrators detained. A group of PKK

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supporters attacked the Security Directorate's building with
Molotov cocktails. A police armored vehicle was attacked with a
Molotov cocktail. Tension is still running high in the city.

Diyarbakir - Almost 3000 Kurds staged a sit-in to denounce the
arrests and anti-KCK operations. Protesters chanted slogans in
favor of PKK and Ocalan. Police clashed with PKK supporters
blocking roads in Baglar District.

Sanliurfa - PKK supporters attacked a police station in Suruc
District with a sound bomb; no injuries reported.

Adana - A vehicle was set on fire by PKK supporters.

Malatya - Unidentified people wrote "PKK" on some civilian
vehicles.

4. Media reports on significant crime or security incidents:

Mersin University - 12.25.09: A group of ultra-nationalist
students attacked leftist and Kurdish students, injuring one.

Diyarbakir - 12.24.09: Security forces stormed the Human Rights
Association building and confiscated documents.

Diyarbakir - 12.22.09: Security forces detained 3 people who
threatened the Priest of Meryamana Church.

Kahramanmaras - 12.18.09: A sound bomb exploded near the
ultra-rightist Great Unity Party (BBP) headquarters; no injuries
reported.

5. Illegal immigrant arrests:

12.01.09 through 12.26.09: Security forces captured and deported
593 illegal immigrants from: Edirne, Hatay, Sanliurfa, Mardin,
Aegean Coast, Gaziantep, Hakkari, Manisa, Sakarya, Istanbul,
Aydin, Balikesir, Kilis, Sirnak, Kayseri, Igdir, Adana,
Canakkale, Erzurum, Konya, Kayseri, Van, Mugla and the borders
of Syria, Iran, Iraq and Greece. 8 Turks assisting them were
also detained in the operations.

6. Counter-narcotic/organized crime operations:

Diyarbakir - 12.25.09: Security forces arrested 3 people and
seized 285 grams of hashish and 42 units of ecstasy pills.

Gaziantep - 12.25.09: Security forces confiscated 3 kilograms of
heroin and 1 kilogram of hashish and detained 4 village guards.

Elazig - 12.24.09: Security forces seized 62 kilograms of
hashish.

Gaziantep - 12.24.09: Security forces seized 11,000 pills and
detained 4 people.

Van - 12.23.09: Security forces arrested 5 people in
anti-organized crime operation.

Osmaniye - 12.23.09: Security forces detained 48 people in
anti-narcotic and organized crime operations. 300 grams of
hashish also seized.

Diyarbakir - 12.21.09: Security forces arrested 14 people and
seized 300 grams of hashish in 8 separate operations conducted
in the last 8 days.

Hatay - 12.17.09: Security forces seized 57 kilograms of hashish
and detained 1 person.

Sirnak - 12.23.09: Security forces detained 30 people in an
anti-organized-crime operation.
DARNELL

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