US embassy cable - 92IZMIR819

UNCLAS IZMIR 0819 
 
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE 
 
E.O. 12356: DECL:  OADR 
TAGS;  PGOV, TU 
SUBJ: TERRORIST KILL FOUR POLICEMEN IN ANTALYA 
 
1.  DECEMBER 8 EDITIONS OF ALL MAJOR DAILIES REPORT ATACKS ON TWO 
POLICE SHUTTLE BUSES IN ANTALYA AT APPROXIMATELY 1830 ON DEC 7. 
UNIDENTIFIED GUNMEN (NUMBER CHANGES FROM 3 TO 10 BY DIFFERENT 
PAPERS) SHOT AT THE BUSES CARRYING 50 POLICEMEN IN THE CITY CENTER 
IN THE VICINITY OF THE SECURITY FORCES' RESIDENTIAL BUILDING SITE. 
FOUR POLICEMEN, INCLUDING A POLICE CHEIF, WERE SHOT TO DEATH.  THE 
TERRORIST ALSO SHOT AT THE HOUSES BELONGING TO THE POLICEMEN AND 
STARTED FIRES IN TWO BUILDINGS.  NO ORGANIZATION HAS YET CLAIMED 
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ATTACKES. 
 
2.  IN TWO SEPARATE INCIDENTS LAST WEEK, HEP (PEOPLES LABOR PARTY) 
POVINCIAL BOARD MEMBER, IDRIS CELIK, AND A REGISTERED HEP MEMBER, 
YUSUF SOLMAZ, WERE SHOT TO DEATH IN ANTALYA.  SECURITY OFFICIALS 
BELIEVE THAT THE MURDER IN BOTH ASSASSINATIONS IS THE SAME 
PERSON.  YUSUF SOLMAZ WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY BY THE POLICE RECENTLY 
ON CHARGES OF COLLECTING FUNDS FOR HEP.  HIS BROTHER IS REPORTED TO 
BE AN ACTIVE PKK MILITANT. 
 
3.  CONTACTS IN THE ANTALYA MAYOR'S OFFICE HAVE CONFIRMED THE 
INCIDENTS AND THE DETAILS DRAWN FROM THE PRESS ARTICLES REPORTED 
ABOVE.  ACCORDING TO THE SAME SOURCES, THERE IS NO APPARENT CONCERN 
AMONG THE PUBLIC THAT SUCH INCIDENTS MIGHT HAMPER NEXT SEASON'S 
TOURISM INDUSTRY IN THE REGION,  THOUGH THE POLICE INCREASED ITS 
SECURITY MEASURES EXTENSIVELY IN THE CITY.  THE ATTACK ON THE 
SECURITY FORCES IS NOT THE FIRST ACT OF VIOLENCE IN ANTALYA; 
HOWEVER, IT IS REPORTED TO BE THE FIRST NON-KURDISH TARGET 
RECENTLY.  PAST INCIDENTS INVOLVED CLASHES BETWEEN KURDISH 
SEPARATIST AND LOCAL SECURITY FORCES OR THE RAISING OF THE PKK FLAG 
IN THE CITY'S TOURIST ATTRACTION CENTERS. 
 
 
ZAJAC##