R 080800Z DEC 92
FM AMCONSUL IZMIR
TO AMEMBASSY ANKARA//6318//
SECSTATE WASH DC 9870
INFO AMCONSUL ADANA//4251//
AMCONSUL ISTANBUL//5890//
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##