• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=2/18/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245676
TITLE=TURKEY / KURDS (L ONLY)
BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN
DATELINE=ANKARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  HUNDREDS OF PRO-KURDISH ACTIVISTS WERE ROUNDED UP IN 
TURKEY THURSDAY IN THE FIRST WAVE OF VIOLENT PROTESTS ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY FOLLOWING MONDAY'S CAPTURE OF KURDISH REBEL LEADER 
ABDULLAH OCALAN.  AMBERIN ZAMAN REPORTS FROM ANKARA
TEXT:  TURKISH POLICE DETAINED AT LEAST 100 PRO-OCALAN 
DEMONSTRATORS IN ISTANBUL AFTER THEY SET FIRE TO SEVERAL CARS AND
BUSES AND SMASHED SCORES OF SHOP WINDOWS.  OFFICIALS OF THE 
PRO-KURDISH PEOPLE'S DEMOCRACY PARTY SAY AT LEAST 700 PARTY 
MEMBERS WERE ROUNDED UP BY POLICE IN RAIDS IN ISTANBUL AND THE 
MAINLY KURDISH SOUTHEAST PROVINCES.
AS PROTEST OVER MR. OCALAN'S CAPTURE CONTINUE, THE MAN DESCRIBED 
BY THE TURKISH PRESS AS "SATAN" WAS SHOWN ON TURKISH TELEVISION 
STANDING BEFORE A TURKISH FLAG.  THE LEADER OF THE OUTLAWED 
KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY, OR P-K-K, IS BEING HELD ON A PRISON 
ISLAND OFF THE COAST OF ISTANBUL. 
THREE PROSECUTORS FROM A SPECIAL STATE SECURITY COURT WHICH WILL 
TRY THE REBEL CHIEF TRAVELLED TO IMRALI ISLAND THURSDAY TO 
CONTINUE WITH MR. OCALAN'S INTERROGATION WHICH BEGAN WEDNESDAY.
TURKISH PRIME MINISTER BULENT ECEVIT TOLD THE NATION THAT THE 
REBEL CHIEF WHO IS BEING CHARGED WITH TREASON WILL BE TRIED 
FAIRLY AND JUSTLY
MEANWHILE, THOUSANDS OF TURKISH TROOPS KEPT UP THEIR HUNT FOR 
P-K-K REBELS IN KURDISH-CONTROLLED NORTHERN IRAQ.  TURKISH 
MILITARY OFFICIALS DESCRIBED THE OFFENSIVE AS A  LIMITED 
OPERATION AIMED FLUSHING THE REBELS FROM THEIR MOUNTAIN HIDEOUTS.
TURKISH FORCES ROUTINELY CROSS INTO NORTHERN IRAQ IN SO-CALLED 
HOT PURSUIT OPERATIONS AGAINST THE KURDISH GROUP WHICH IS 
BELIEVED TO HAVE SOME HAVE BETWEEN TWO-THOUSAND AND FOUR-THOUSAND
REBELS IN AND AROUND NORTHERN IRAQ.
THE CAPTURED P-K-K LEADER'S BROTHER, OSMAN OCALAN, IS WIDELY 
BELIEVED TO HAVE DECLARED HIMSELF THEIR NEW COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF
THE REBEL GROUP.   OSMAN OCALAN IS KNOWN TO HAVE CLOSE TIES WITH 
IRAN, BUT HE DOES  NOT  ENJOY THE SAME DEGREE OF POPULARITY AS 
HIS IMPRISONED BROTHER.  AND SOURCES SAY HE IS  NOT  LIKELY TO 
EXERT THE SAME KIND OF IRON-FISTED CONTROL OVER THE GROUP.  
(SIGNED)
NEB/AZ/JWH
18-Feb-99 9:43 AM EST (1443 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.