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Daily News Egypt
Aug 22 2012
Turkey receives terrorist threats related to the Syrian crisis
Rana Muhammad Taha / August 22, 2012
Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia, considered a
terrorist group by Turkey, threatened to exercise `counter measures'
While Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Qadri Jamil hinted at the
possibility of Al-Assad's resignation in statements made in Moscow,
the Syrian crisis continues to affect neighbouring countries. Turkish
newspaper Today's Zaman reported Monday a statement by the Armenian
Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA), considered a
terrorist group by Turkey, threatening to exercise `counter measures'
should Turkish policies towards Syria continue in a manner which
endangers the `security and the social cohesion of the Armenian
community of Syria.'
Jamil told reporters following talks in Moscow on Tuesday that `making
the resignation itself a condition for holding dialogue means that you
will never be able to reach this dialogue,' referring for the Syrian
opposition demanding Al-Assad's resignation. He neveretheless added
the regime's readiness to `discuss this issue'; referring to
Al-Assad's resignation.
Meanwhile the threat from ASALA, a leftist militant group active in
Armenia from 1975 until the early 1990s, came unexpectedly. While
active, the group was responsible for the assassination of at least 40
Turkish diplomats outside of Turkey, according to Today's Zaman. It
was put on the United States' list of terrorist organisations in the
1980s. Nevertheless, ASALA is not universally recognised as a
terrorist organisation; it is sometimes described as a `guerilla
force' or `armed group.'
The ASALA's activities are a reflection of the tense relations between
Turkey and Armenia, which do not have diplomatic relations. Their
historic animosity dates from the last days of the Ottoman Empire,
when Turkey is accused of genocide against Armenians in Anatolia, a
charge Ankara denies to this day.
The threat of Armenian terrorism is only the latest of Turkey's
Syria-related woes. A car-bombing in Gaziantep on Monday killed nine
and has been blamed on the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), also seen as a
terrorist group by Turkey, the US and the European Union.
Though the PKK has denied responsibility for the terrorist attack,
Samil Tayyar, a member of parliament for Gaziantep representing
Turkey's ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, was reported by
Reuters to have blamed the bombing on a joint coordination between the
PKK and Syrian intelligence.
`Another aim of this attack was to send a message about Turkey's
foreign policy,' Reuters reporter Tayyar saying.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu echoed these statements,
saying possible Syrian involvement in the terrorist attack was being
investigated.
`If there is a similarity, the methods and mentality of the terrorist
organisation and Bashar Al-Assad's forces are alike in killing
civilians during Eid al-Fitr, ' Reuters quoted Davutoglu saying.
An increase in the PKK's terrorist activities inside Turkey since the
start of Turkey's open support to the Syrian rebels has been noted by
some analysts. The Turkish support comes amid a huge Syrian refugee
influx to Turkey. Tuesday alone witnessed the arrival of 2,500 Syrian
refugees into Turkish territory, according to Reuters, which put the
number of Syrian refugees currently taking shelter in Turkey at
70,000.
http://thedailynewsegypt.com/2012/08/22/turkey-receives-terrorist-threats-related-to-the-syrian-crisis/
Aug 22 2012
Turkey receives terrorist threats related to the Syrian crisis
Rana Muhammad Taha / August 22, 2012
Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia, considered a
terrorist group by Turkey, threatened to exercise `counter measures'
While Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Qadri Jamil hinted at the
possibility of Al-Assad's resignation in statements made in Moscow,
the Syrian crisis continues to affect neighbouring countries. Turkish
newspaper Today's Zaman reported Monday a statement by the Armenian
Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA), considered a
terrorist group by Turkey, threatening to exercise `counter measures'
should Turkish policies towards Syria continue in a manner which
endangers the `security and the social cohesion of the Armenian
community of Syria.'
Jamil told reporters following talks in Moscow on Tuesday that `making
the resignation itself a condition for holding dialogue means that you
will never be able to reach this dialogue,' referring for the Syrian
opposition demanding Al-Assad's resignation. He neveretheless added
the regime's readiness to `discuss this issue'; referring to
Al-Assad's resignation.
Meanwhile the threat from ASALA, a leftist militant group active in
Armenia from 1975 until the early 1990s, came unexpectedly. While
active, the group was responsible for the assassination of at least 40
Turkish diplomats outside of Turkey, according to Today's Zaman. It
was put on the United States' list of terrorist organisations in the
1980s. Nevertheless, ASALA is not universally recognised as a
terrorist organisation; it is sometimes described as a `guerilla
force' or `armed group.'
The ASALA's activities are a reflection of the tense relations between
Turkey and Armenia, which do not have diplomatic relations. Their
historic animosity dates from the last days of the Ottoman Empire,
when Turkey is accused of genocide against Armenians in Anatolia, a
charge Ankara denies to this day.
The threat of Armenian terrorism is only the latest of Turkey's
Syria-related woes. A car-bombing in Gaziantep on Monday killed nine
and has been blamed on the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), also seen as a
terrorist group by Turkey, the US and the European Union.
Though the PKK has denied responsibility for the terrorist attack,
Samil Tayyar, a member of parliament for Gaziantep representing
Turkey's ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, was reported by
Reuters to have blamed the bombing on a joint coordination between the
PKK and Syrian intelligence.
`Another aim of this attack was to send a message about Turkey's
foreign policy,' Reuters reporter Tayyar saying.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu echoed these statements,
saying possible Syrian involvement in the terrorist attack was being
investigated.
`If there is a similarity, the methods and mentality of the terrorist
organisation and Bashar Al-Assad's forces are alike in killing
civilians during Eid al-Fitr, ' Reuters quoted Davutoglu saying.
An increase in the PKK's terrorist activities inside Turkey since the
start of Turkey's open support to the Syrian rebels has been noted by
some analysts. The Turkish support comes amid a huge Syrian refugee
influx to Turkey. Tuesday alone witnessed the arrival of 2,500 Syrian
refugees into Turkish territory, according to Reuters, which put the
number of Syrian refugees currently taking shelter in Turkey at
70,000.
http://thedailynewsegypt.com/2012/08/22/turkey-receives-terrorist-threats-related-to-the-syrian-crisis/