Articles About Terrorist Activities

WHY AN INTERNATIONAL STRUGGLE?

Throughout the ages Terrorism has threatened societies and states, with varying purposes causing death of thousands by exploiting different instruments. Even in the last 5 years, more than 5 thousand people died and 12 thousand people were injured in several terrorist attacks. Even only these numbers evidently show that terrorism has become the primary threat against humanity today.

An analysis of just only these terrorist attacks avails us to make several inferences.
Some of these inferences can be stated as follows:

- Terrorism has no nationality, religion, language, region and ideology. It is created and powered by violence.

- Preparatory activities before the attack such as training, planning, transmitting orders to terrorists, creation and transfer of financial funds, logistic support can be conducted in various countries. In other words, while a terrorist attack is occurring in one country, it is prepared out of the country and in more than one. In this way, the issue becomes international.

Although terrorism basically stems from potential sources including social, political and economical problems, ethnic and religious discrimination, the actual reason for terrorism is the use of terrorism by some nations as a means of foreign policy. Such practices hinder the possibility of creating a common ground for combating terrorism. Even though international struggle against terrorism is discussed in several international platforms, and international organizations like UN, NATO and the EU declared several resolutions and statements foreseeing strict measures, until today neither the terrorist organizations could be destroyed nor the terrorist attacks could be stopped. The lack of a common ground in turn encourages
terrorists and extents the terrorist attacks.

- Terrorists are not just the perpetrators of terrorist activities. Those who provide financial logistic and propaganda support to terrorist attacks are equally guilty with those who explode bombs and kill innocent people. Thus, they should also be categorized as terrorists.

- It is commonly known that struggle against terrorism cannot be conducted exclusively with military measures since employment of political, social and economic measures are critical as well. In this sense, the struggle should not only include security forces but should also be held together with all the components of national power in coordination.

Inability to formulate a common definition to terrorism constitutes the most significant barrier to the international struggle against terrorism. Failure to agree on such a definition should not be allowed to obstruct international struggle against terrorism. In order to counter terrorism, it would also be
sufficient to determine the parameters of the common understanding to be shown in the struggle with terror and terrorism. Of these parameters, the most important one is “to mutually respect the political, cultural and religious sensitiveness, including the border security and territorial integrity in particular,
of another country and accordingly to pave the way for cooperation based upon mutual trust”. As the mutual respect environment is established by the states, a real inter-state cooperation based on mutual trust shall emerge.

Here I would like to highlight what the Great Leader ATATURK, the founder of Turkish Republic said: “We should consider humanity as a single body and a nation as one of its organs. Pain on the tip of a finger is felt by all other organs.”

Nevertheless, in order to fight against the germ infecting the whole body it would not be enough for some certain organs to overcome it. As in this case, if only the countries affected by the terrorism fight against it, it would not be a sufficient measure.

The struggle against terrorism should not only be limited to terrorist organization but should also comprise networks of organized crime. Today, terrorist organizations and organized crime networks are intermingled. Just a glance at the daily events covered by media clearly helps to grasp this relation. Terrorism has become a field of employment; terrorist organizations have either established intimate relations with or evolved into organized crime networks in order to raise financial funds.

ORGANIZED CRIME AND TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS

In order to carry out an effective struggle against terrorism, it is primarily necessary to analyze how terrorist organizations supply financial resources and establish relations with organized crime networks. Such a relation allows terrorist organizations to institutionally begin drug, human trafficking and weapon smuggling. The crucial part of struggle against terrorism is the prevention of such illegal activities.

Turkey is continuing its struggle in an active manner. In this framework, 112 tons of drugs (35 tons of heroin, 62 tons of hashish and 15 tons of morphine) are captured and destroyed during the operations in last 5 years. In the same period, 310.000 (82.825 in 2002, 56.219 in 2003, 61.228 in 2004, 57.428 in 2005, and 51.983 in 2006) illegal immigrants aiming to go Europe via Turkey were detained and deported to their countries. In the same operations 4,756 human traffickers (1.157 in 2002, 937 in 2003, 956 in 2004, 834 in 2005, and 872 in 2006) were arrested and sentenced.

Turkey also signed, together with 136 states, the “UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crimes” and the additional protocol to this convention (Additional Protocol Against the Trading of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air) on December 13, 2000. Turkish Grand National Assembly ratified the convention with Law No. 4800. The convention aims at enhancing the cooperation in struggle against cross-border organized crime.

PKK/KONGRA-GEL AND ORGANIZED CRIMES

Intimate relation between organized crime networks and terrorist organizations can best be illustrated with the example of PKK/KONGRA-GEL, which is involved in whole components of drug trafficking including supply, transportation and delivery.

PKK/KONGRA-GEL was founded in 1978 and began its armed attacks in 1984. This terrorist organization is conducting its terrorist activities on the basis of ethnic discrimination. PKK/KONGRA-GEL is also identified as one of the most dangerous terrorist organizations in the world by annual “Global Terrorism” report of US.(1)

Despite its claim for being the representative of Kurdish people, PKK/KONGRA-GEL does not make any discrimination among innocent people in its attacks.(2)

Since 1984, 13.045 civilians without any discrimination among children, even babies, women and elderly (most of them comprised of civil servants, including teachers and religious functionaries) besides the casualties of security forces, have been killed or injured by the violent terrorist attacks perpetrated by PKK/KONGRA-GEL.

Just only in 2006, 343 civilians died, 13 of which were children, due to the attacks of terrorist organization
with explosive devices.

2000 public facilities, including 250 schools, 110 mosques, and 50 dispensaries were destroyed by PKK/KONGRA-GEL’s terrorist attacks.

PKK / KONGRA – GEL is controlling drug network in Europe and Turkey.3

(1) 2003 US “Global Terrorism Report” , Counterterrorism Office of the United States, Patterns Of Global Terrorism, April 30, 2003, http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls

(2) Soner ÇAĞAPTAY, “CAN PKK Renounce Violence?” Middle East Quarterly,2007

(3) U.S. Bureau of International Narcotics’, “Control Strategy Of International Drug Trafficking”, 1992 http://state.gov./www/global/narcotics_law/1996_narc_report/europ96.html

Federal Research Division, US Library of Congress, “The Nexus Among Terrorists, Narcotics Traffickers, Weapons Proliferators and Organized Crime Networks In Western Europe”, December 2002, http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/

Testimony of Asa Hutchinson, US Drug Enforcement Administration, ”Testimony United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Narco-Terror; The Worldwide connection Between Drugs and Terrorism”, March 13,2002 http://judiciary.senate.gov/testimony=196

(4) Resolution No. 1368 and 1373 compels all states to participate in struggle against terrorism and supportive acts.

(5) Resolution No.1511 charges coalition forces to adopt all the measures to provide security and stability in Iraq

(6) Resolutions No.1546, 1618 and 1637 reiterate the necessity to “prevent terrorist actions in Iraq, directed to Iraq or from Iraq to the other countries, take the necessary measures to prevent arms and financial support and enhance cooperation among states, especially among neighbors of Iraq.

ACTIVITIES OF PKK/KONGRA-GEL IN THE NORTH OF IRAQ

PKK/KONGRA-GEL is continuing its violent terrorist acts in Turkey by deploying its leadership cadre, logistic support and training camps in the north of Iraq. Approximately 30% of terrorists are living in Turkey while remaining is accommodated in the north of Iraq.

The war in Iraq provided the opportunity to the terrorist organization to construct safe shelters. PKK/KONGRA-GEL uses these shelters to pass Turkish-Iraqi border and carry out terrorist attacks in Turkish territory. Using the safe haven provided in the north of Iraq; PKK/KONGRA-GEL promotes itself, provides medical treatment to terrorist injured in the terrorist attacks in its hospitals, meets all kind of
logistic needs including weapons and explosives and organize drug, arms and other illegal
equipment trafficking.

Local Kurdish groups, are turning a blind eye on the activities of the terrorist organization in the north of Iraq. Furthermore, recently according to received intelligence these groups are also providing support to PKK/KONGRA-GEL.

In spite of various UN Resolutions such as 1368, 13734, 15115, 1546,1618,16376, existence of PKK/KONGRA-GEL in the north of Iraq constitutes to pose a threat against Turkey.

Indeed, it is interesting to note that PKK/KONGRA-GEL is still continuing to exist in a country where a counter terrorist operation has been taking place. There is no such place in the world where terrorists have such freedom of movement.

INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT TO PKK/KONGRA-GEL

Another issue that has even more critical importance than the activities of PKK/KONGRA-GEL in the north of Iraq is the support given to the organization in Europe.

Furthermore;

- Terrorist organization provides political, financial and logistic support to its armed structures through more than 400 affiliated nongovernmental organizations operating as crime networks mostly in European countries.

- 2 news agencies, 4 TV stations, 13 radio stations, 10 newspapers, 19 journals, 3 publishing houses and several İnternet sites are affiliated to the terrorist organization.

- ROJ TV, broadcasting from Europe, is serving as the major media means of PKK/KONGRA-GEL. ROJ TV made broadcasts to provoke people against security forces, leading to events distorting public order, which cause death and injury of innocent people and plundering of workplaces.

ROJ TV also transmits encrypted orders of terrorist organization to terrorists for undertaking bombings.

- Statements encouraging terrorists and supporters of the terrorist organization are made during the conferences held by some parliaments in Europe including the European Parliament.

- PKK / KONGRA-GEL is granted social aid funds with fake documents by social security systems in European countries; and it uses this money in supporting its terrorist activities; furthermore, it carries out these financial operations in most developed countries whose financial systems are well established.

- Some terrorists including the leadership of PKK / KONGRA – GEL terrroist organization who are searched through Interpol can freely travel in European countries.

- Legal request for the extradition of a terrorist whose lawsuit is still ongoing was rejected in a European country. The terrorist was released then.

- The terrorist organization is almost permitted by another country to operate in its country, by declaring that not EU’s and NATO’s terrorist organization lists which the terrorist organization was included but the UN list (which composed of persons and institutions related with Al-Qaida) that the name of terrorist organization was not mentioned would be taken as a basis,

Several other examples can be enlisted. The disappointing fact about the examples mentioned above is that these countries are mostly the members of NATO, an alliance that puts terrorism on the top of its agenda and considers terrorism as the biggest threat.

These above-mentioned examples reveal that Turkey is not provided with enough support from its friends and allies. On the other hand, in all platforms Turkey declares its determination and cooperative attitude in countering terrorism without any discrimination and reflects this understanding in its applications.

In this sense, Turkish security forces arrested Al-Qaida member Al-Sakka and other Turkish Hezbullah members. These terrorists were tried in Turkish courts and sentenced.

CONCLUSION

At this point, Turkey’s utmost expectations from friends and allies are sincerity, determination, cooperation and adoption of measures based on concrete steps.

The states have the authority to adopt all kinds of measures to prevent threats against their security, possess the right to intervene wherever the threats are originated from and also the responsibility to protect life and property of their citizens.

In this vein, realities should be comprehended without delay and a common understanding and cooperation should be established to avoid from giving one more victim to terrorism, which is a phenomenon repugnant to human conscience.

Source: Center of excellence Defence Against Terrorism
http://www.tmmm.tsk.mil.tr/publications/PKK_INFO/Makale1-NATO%20Dergisi.pdf