US embassy cable - 88IZMIR710

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22 PKK TERRORISTS ARRESTED

Identifier: 88IZMIR710
Wikileaks: View 88IZMIR710 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Consulate Izmir
Created: 1988-08-22 08:30:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: PTER
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
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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