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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000202 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR SEPTEMBER 15, 2006 
 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for September 15, 
¶2006.  Please note that Turkish press reports often contain 
errors or exaggerations; AmConsulate Adana does not vouch for 
the accuracy of the reports summarized here. 
 
POLITICAL, SECURITY, HUMAN RIGHTS 
 
ZAMAN / HURRIYET / RADIKAL / CUMHURIYET:   Nearly 2000 people 
attempted to march from the site of the bomb incident in 
Diyarbakir towards a highway, upon a reported call from a DTP 
assembly member.  The group blockaded the highway despite calls 
from Diyarbakir police not to do so.  Children, who marched in 
front ranks of the crowd, were also chanting slogans against PM 
Erdogan and in support of the PKK.  Demonstrators later 
dispersed as they finished their protests.  Meanwhile, tradesmen 
in Baglar, Dortyol and Kurucesme quarters of Diyarbakir closed 
their businesses yesterday following the bombing incident. 
Zaman daily pointed out that not all the Diyarbakir tradesmen 
acted in accordance with this practice of shutting the doors of 
their businesses.  However, Radikal daily reported that the 
practice soon became widespread in the province after Baglar 
quarter tradesmen initiated it.  Democracy Platform declared 
three-day mourning in the city. Meanwhile, Minister of Interior, 
who conducted studies in Diyarbakir, allegedly said that the 
bombing had no connection with the Turkish Revenge Brigade, a 
group which claimed responsibility for the bombing on its 
internet site. PM Erdogan expressed his deepest grief since 
mostly children had become victims of the tragic event. 
 
ZAMAN / HURRIYET / SABAH:    Diyarbakir Anti-Terror Branch 
obtained a three-day search warrant from the court to conduct an 
extensive search after the bombing event in Diyarbakir.  Branch 
members later conducted raids on eight houses in Baglar 
district.  Police is also searching the family backgrounds of 
the people killed in the incident.  Meanwhile, Diyarbakir Police 
Labaratory said that the bomb was definitely made of plastic 
explosives and a gas canister was placed under it to create a 
more powerful blast impact.  Police sources say that arrangement 
of the bomb was similar to the type of the bombs PKK used in 
previous incidents.  The daily also reports that if the 
authorities and police did not find the perpetrators of the 
event, the PKK will abuse the situation and attempt to weaken 
the ties of the people with the state. 
 
EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM:     As the investigation into the 
bombing in Diyarbakir continues, the dailies drew attention to 
the reported fact that the PKK condemned the bombing incident 
and Turkish Revenge Brigade claimed responsibility for the 
incident.  According to the newspapers, the walkie-talkies found 
at the site of the incident were of the same model with the ones 
an illegal organization called "Atabeyler guerillas" were using. 
 The dailies remind that a pilot captain and two bomb 
specialists from the Special Forces Command were arrested 
following an operation against that organization.  The dailies 
also pointed out the allegations published a while ago in their 
editions about former JITEM members who were called back for 
duty in Diyarbakir. 
 
EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM:     Salih Karaaslan, DTP Provincial 
Chairperson in Ankara, said that dark hidden forces behind the 
1996 Susurluk scandal and 2005 Semdinli bombing were also the 
actors behind the recent bombing in Diyarbakir.  Ozgur Gundem 
daily reported that white and black colored flags were hung in 
the province, tradesmen shut the doors of their shops, and 
thousands of people left carnations and erected candles at the 
site of the incident and condemned the event.  Meanwhile, 
members of twenty-five organizations and political parties 
gathered in front of the Human Rights Association in Istanbul 
and made an announcement saying that the Diyarbakir bomb attack 
was another plot of the "criminal networks" whose activities 
were partly revealed in the Semdinli bombing incident on 
November 9, 2005.  Meanwhile, DTP's and KESK's (Confederation of 
Public Workers' Unions) chapters in Adana protested the bomb 
attack. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM: DTP Chairperson Ahmet Turk conducted studies in 
Diayrbakir following the bomb attack.  Turk also paid a visit to 
the Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir to extend condolences.  Turk 
said during the visit that nothing would be able to hinder the 
peace process and they would not yield to the provocations. 
 
SABAH:    Sabah daily reports allegations that the real target 
of the Diyarbakir bombing was the Security Directorate which was 
1.5 kilometers away from the site of the incident.  Another 
 
ADANA 00000202  002 OF 002 
 
 
transceiver's frequency could have triggered the fuse of the 
bomb, which was kept in a mode ready to be detonated, before the 
perpetrator was able to reach the actual target. 
 
SABAH / YENI SAFAK: Diyarbakir Governor's Office announced that 
three remotely controlled mines were found and safely detonated 
on a road between Lice and Kulp districts of Diyarbakir. 
Reportedly, devices which would enable detonation of the bombs 
with transceivers and phones were also found at the site. 
 
CUMHURIYET:   Two separate explosions took place in Van's 
Baskale and and Sirnak's Gormec districts yesterday around 9.30 
p.m.  No casualties were reported after the bombings.  The 
bombing in Van was close to the residences of army officers. 
Security personnel initiated military operations in the areas. 
 
SABAH (GUNEY): Gordon Dakota, Croatia's Ambassador to Ankara, 
paid a visit to Gaziantep's Chamber of Commerce.  Dakota said 
that the economic cooperation between Gaziantep and Croatia will 
be further consolidated. 
 
CUMHURIYET / YENI SAFAK:     Municipality teams allegedly culled 
street dogs with poison syringes ahead of an International 
Caucasian Cultures' Festival in the province.  Some local 
televisions alleged that the team members killed the dogs that 
were still alive after being poisoned at the garbage pressing 
machinery. 
 
SABAH (GUNEY): Ihsan Erogul, Adana Chief Prosecutor, paid a 
visit to the Veterans' Association in Adana to mark the Veterans 
week. 
 
CUMHURIYET / EKSPRES:   Restoration project at the Old Roman 
Bridge in Adana has been halted due to a funding shortage. 
Seventy percent of the project has been completed to date. 
GREEN