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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 001248 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/SE, EUR/PD, NEA/PD, DRL 
JCS PASS J-5/CDR S. WRIGHT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR TU
SUBJECT: ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT 
THURSDAY, JULY 10, 2008 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Armed Attack on U.S. Consulate in Istanbul 
All news outlets report three Turkish policemen and three gunmen 
were killed in an armed attack on the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul. 
On Wednesday, a vehicle carrying four people came to the main gate 
of the Consulate around 10:30 in the morning.  Three of the 
assailants got out of the car and fired at the police officer 
standing guard in front of the Consulate.  An armed clash erupted as 
the police officer as well as two other traffic policemen patrolling 
in the neighborhood responded the fire.  Three assailants who got 
out of the car were killed; the driver of the car fled the scene. 
One policeman died at the scene and two others were rushed to the 
hospital for serious injuries.  Eyewitnesses reported to television 
news that bystanders who were waiting for visas were also injured in 
the attack.  (These claims were later confirmed to be false.) 
 
Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler said police determined the 
identities of the three slain assailants, who are all Turkish 
citizens.  One of them has a criminal record for theft.  Papers say 
the perpetrators are said to have "received training in 
Afghanistan," and they are "allegedly members of al-Qaeda." 
Investigations have identified the assailants as Erkan Kargin, 
Bulent Cinar and Raif Topcil.  Cinar has a record for theft and 
Kargin for swindling.  There is no verification of the claims that 
the third dead assailant Raif Topcil was detained in Guantanamo and 
then released a month ago.  Various unnamed sources were cited in 
papers who speculated that al-Qaeda groups targeted the U.S. 
Consulate in Turkey in retaliation for the killing of four AQ 
members in the province of Gaziantep in January.  "After the 
Gaziantep operation, we realized that al-Qaeda might carry out a 
reprisal attack.  Wednesday's attack sends a message to both the 
U.S. and Turkey," a senior official told Milliyet.  Security 
measures were heightened at the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul and in 
Ankara around the Prime Minister's Office and the U.S. Embassy. 
 
Turkish Reaction to Attack on U.S. Consulate 
All papers report President Abdullah Gul, Parliament Speaker Koksal 
Toptan, Prime Minister Erdogan and Turkish General Staff (TGS) Chief 
General Yasar Buyukanit strongly condemned the attack.  "Turkey will 
fight until the end against the mindset that organizes such 
attacks," Gul said.  Prime Minister Erdogan said in a message, 
"these heinous attacks targeting Turkey's stability will not reach 
their goals, thanks to the determination of our brave security 
forces."  Turkey's main opposition party CHP leader Deniz Baykal 
expressed "profound sorrow" over the killing of three police 
officers in the attack.  "Killing the three attackers shows our 
security forces' determination in the fight against terrorism," 
Baykal said.  In a statement posted on the Turkish General Staff's 
(TGS) webpage, General Yasar Buyukanit harshly condemned the attack. 
 The Turkish Foreign Ministry (TGS) also condemned the attack, and 
said that security measures were increased in and around the U.S. 
diplomatic missions in the country. 
 
International Reaction to Attack on U.S. Consulate 
All papers report European Commission spokesperson Amadeu Altafaj 
Tardio said they share the grief with Turkish authorities and 
relatives of the policemen who were killed in the attack.  European 
countries, including Greece, Spain, France and Denmark also strongly 
condemned the deadly attack.  In "Wilson: 'We Are Grateful to 
Turkish Police," mainstream Milliyet says U.S. Ambassador to Turkey 
Ross Wilson denounced the armed attack as an "act of terror," and 
said that Turkish and American security officials were "working 
together to clarify the details of the attack."  Wilson called the 
act, "a dastardly and coward attack," and stressed the U.S. and 
Turkey would "stand together and confront this, as we have in the 
past."  Addressing journalists at a news conference on the Embassy 
grounds in Ankara, Wilson offered condolences from U.S. Government 
to the families of the three police officers who lost their lives in 
the attack.  "The police responded effectively and quickly," he said 
 
ANKARA 00001248  002 OF 004 
 
 
and expressed gratitude to Turkish police for their efforts to guard 
the U.S. official buildings in the country.  Wilson added the U.S. 
would continue to be a close friend and ally of Turkey and that acts 
of terror could not damage the ties between the two countries. 
 
Turkish Press Play of Attack on U.S. Istanbul Consulate 
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak carries the front-page banner headline, 
"Lowlifes!" and asks, "Is this a warning to the police in 
retaliation against the Ergenekon investigation or the January 2008 
police operation that killed four members of an al-Qaeda cell in 
Diyarbakir?" or "Is this another Al Qaeda attack after its 2003 
Istanbul attacks?"  Yeni Safak points out that the Diyarbakir 
operation, "took place based on intelligence provided by the U.S. to 
Turkey." The paper also notes that Osama Bin Laden's 16-year-old son 
Hamza recently "made a call via the internet to continue the fight 
against the U.S. and its allies Britain, France, and Denmark."  In 
"The Last Thing Turkey Needed: Armed Attack on the U.S. Consulate in 
Istanbul," mainstream Hurriyet speculated yesterday's attack "was 
ordered by Osama bin Laden's youngest son." Leftist Taraf carries 
the banner front-page headline, "Al-Qaeda's Response to the 
Gaziantep Operation."  In "Al-Qaeda Strikes After Five Years," 
mainstream Sabah blames al-Qaeda for the attack and notes the three 
dead assailants were from Bitlis, Turkey and "last week U.S. forces 
killed an al-Qaeda member in Afghanistan that was also from Bitlis." 
 Sabah wonders if this is retaliation against this killing.  In 
addition, the paper says, "The goal of the attacks was to harm the 
improving ties between Turkey and the U.S. by raiding the 
consulate."  Sabah also notes the alleged ties between the 
assailants and the "Afghani Group" led by Necef Abu Necani, who also 
perpetrated the bomb attacks in Madrid.  In "Six Turks Die in Attack 
on America," mainstream Vatan reports one of the assailants, Raif 
Topcu, "returned to Istanbul from the U.S. prison in Guantanamo one 
month ago," and, "had traveled to Afghanistan."  In "Heroic 
Policemen Foil Attack on U.S. Consulate," Islamist-oriented Zaman 
reports, "The goal of the attack was to create chaos in Turkey," 
because, "The U.S. Consulate represents U.S. presence in the Middle 
East."  Conservative-nationalist Turkiye blames the attack on 
al-Qaeda, but claims it was "supported by the radical Turkish 
Islamist group IBDA-C." 
 
Editorial Opinion on Attack on the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul 
 
"Terror and Chaos" 
Ergun Babahan wrote in mainstream Sabah (7/10):  "Every terror 
attack aims to damage the public's feelings of security, thus 
forcing the public to seek a strong authority.  It is not possible 
to understand Turkey's recent history without understanding this. 
Now, this terrorist attack happened in Istanbul while the Ergenekon 
investigation is continuing.  Whether Al-Qaeda, the PKK or DHKP-C, 
or whoever is responsible of the terrorist attacks, the aim is 
always to create chaos and fear.  But, we can beat terror through a 
strong democratic system." 
 
"Why Istanbul?" 
Sami Kohen questioned in mainstream Milliyet (7/10):  "The fact is 
yesterday's target was the U.S.  However, the facts that Istanbul 
was the location chosen for the attack and the attack took place at 
the time of increasing tensions in the region makes us think that 
this can be linked to the developments in the Middle East.  In fact, 
the assessments made by experts on terrorism and foreign policy 
yesterday right after the attack also implied that." 
 
"To Live Together with the Terror" 
Oktay Eksi commented in mainstream Hurriyet (7/10): "It is not yet 
clear whether those who attacked the US Consulate General in 
Istanbul yesterday are insane people who belong to Al Qaeda, as 
everyone claims, or whether they are killers belonging to another 
evil group who sees no harm in killing innocent people. But it is 
clear that really there is no difference between the two." 
 
 
ANKARA 00001248  003 OF 004 
 
 
"Lessons Learned" 
Gungor Mengi wrote in mainstream Vatan (7/10):  "[The building of] 
the US Consulate General in Istanbul was constructed as one of the 
most protected fortresses in the world. The four terrorists who 
yesterday attacked the police checkpoint at the entrance of this 
building probably did not really think they would enter the 
building. They probably targeted the police. In other words, this is 
an act of blind vengeance the likes of which are quite common for us 
in the periods of instability." 
 
"Was Yesterday's Shooting Against the Ergenekon Investigation?" 
Tamer Korkmaz questioned in Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak (7/10): 
"The coup-planning Ergenekon organization is now cornered by the 
authorities. Right at this time, a terrorist attack takes place. 
Yesterday's incident is extremely interesting in terms of its 
timing, targets and the picture it tries to hide. I wonder if 
yesterday's attacks want to give this message: 'Do not clamp down on 
the Ergenekon organization.'" 
 
PKK Abducts German Climbers in Mount Ararat 
All papers report five PKK members abducted three out of thirteen 
German mountaineers who were climbing Mount Agri (Ararat) in eastern 
Turkey.  Liberal Radikal reports, "The PKK came into the Germans' 
camp at 23:00 the night before last and took three of the tourists," 
and the kidnappers said, "We'll keep them for a few days and then 
release them."  Mainstream Sabah reports, "Agri Governor Mehmet 
Cetin said the kidnappings are in retaliation to the German 
government's actions against the PKK."  The ten remaining 
mountaineers were safely transferred to the town of Dogubayazit in 
Agri province while gendarme launched a wide-scale search and rescue 
operation. 
 
Destito: Turkey One of the U.S.' Best Partners in Combating 
Narcotics 
Islamist-oriented Zaman reports White House anti-drug section second 
chief Scott Burns, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Acting 
Administrator Michele Leonhart, and DEA Ankara bureau director Mark 
Destito briefed Turkish press in Istanbul on Wednesday.  The 
Americans participated in the 26th Annual International Drug 
Enforcement Conference (IDEC) in Istanbul.  Destito said Turkey was 
"one of America's best partners" in combating drug trafficking. 
Leonhart praised Turkey's fight against drugs, saying Turkish police 
seized over 13 ton of narcotics last year, reports Zaman. 
 
TV Highlights 
CNN Turk 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Forest fires in the Mediterranean province of Mersin are finally 
under control after three days. 
 
- On Wednesday, an Istanbul court rejected the prosecutor's appeal 
against the release of four suspects, including dailies Cumhuriyet 
and Tercuman editors, who were detained last week within the 
'Ergenekon' probe. 
 
- A Turkish Central Bank survey says yearend inflation was expected 
to stand at 10.76 percent. 
 
International News 
 
- Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan's op-ed in The Wall Street 
Journal calls for "dialogue with Turkey for the normalization of 
ties and the opening of the border." 
 
- Russian President Dimitri Medvedev said plans to deploy parts of 
the U.S. missile shield in the Czech Republic "deeply distresses" 
Moscow. 
 
 
ANKARA 00001248  004 OF 004 
 
 
- The U.S. Treasury Department prohibits all transactions with four 
Iranian firms which are known to be close to Tehran's nuclear and 
missile programs. 
 
WILSON