An Assassination Attempt on a U.S. President

Dev- Sol (Revolutionary Left)  Established by Dursun Karatas in 1978  Between They killed 35 security members, They killed 35 security members, 23 army members and 240 civilians. 23 army members and 240 civilians. The most well-known assassination was when they killed former Prime Minister, Dr. Nihat Erim, and his body guard Ali Kartal on July 10th The most well-known assassination was when they killed former Prime Minister, Dr. Nihat Erim, and his body guard Ali Kartal on July 10th 1980.

TNP Started Massive Operations Against Dev-Sol  Most of the terrorist members were arrested and imprisoned after 1980s  The Leader, Dursun Karatas imprisoned  Other high level members of Dev-Sol  Virtually all terrorist activity had been stopped.

Prison situation  Dursun Karatas used prisons as training camp  Terrorists started internal investigation among members - –Why were they caught? –What should they do in future?  Master book on Dev-Sol, named Hakliyiz Kazanacagiz (We are right, so we will win)

 Many members were released from prison  New organizational structure  Virtually a new terrorist organization  Dursun Karatas and Niyazi Aydin escaped from prison

Anti-Terrorism Units in Turkey at that Time  Units were made up of inexperienced police officers with only basic primary school education  Officers had no knowledge of terrorist organizations: their structure, members, or goals, and tactics

Terrorist Groups in Turkey at that Time  Groups were made up many university educated people  Groups were “professional” terrorists  They had dedicated their lives to their organization  These terrorists “hide” in public – as community members

In 1989 They Started Terrorist Activity Every Where in Turkey  Those years were the worst year for TNP (Turkish National Police)  Every day one or more Terrorist Actions Occurred  Police were caught unprepared  The Anti – Terrorism units were not professional

Between Situation in Turkey  Police Tried to Understand –What the structure of terrorist organization was –Where they lived –How they gathered information about their targets –Who was in charge and made decisions about terrorist activities and attacks

In 1990  Police looked at every detail, every piece of information  The relation between agencies were very high  All big cities sharing information  Relation between anti-terrorism and intelligent units created  Police know just two people’s names, but they died while bombing a government building

Simultaneous Terrorist Actions  Ankara –Assassination two retired Generals –Assassination of Police officer –Assassination of an Army Officer –Assassination of a doctor –Bombed many government and private places –Injured one police officer  Adana –Assassination of a active duty General –Assassinated one police officer –Murder of American Citizen Bobby Eugene Mozella –Bombing of US Consulate –Bombing of Turkish American Association –Bombing of Regional Center of Major Political Party

Arrest of Mehmet Gungormez  Mehmet Gungormez was in Dev-Sol Ankara armed wing  Was arrested in Istanbul  Taken to Ankara  Gave a name during his interrogation  Only information we got was a name

Mehmet Gungormez Mehmet Gungormez Husuyin Koc

Finding Huseyin Koc  Computer search on Social Security Unit  Found the city (Adana) where his insurance premium was deposited by a factory  Requested that Adana arrest him

What happened?  No arrest - and then simultaneous attacks in two different cities  The assassination of a retired Military General in Ankara  The mortal wounding of a Military General on active duty in Adana

Arrest and Interrogation Huseyin Koc  Adana Police arrested Huseyin Koc  He gave a name, Adnan Temiz (The leader of Adana Armed wing), his wife’s name and what she does  2 days later, he was taken to Ankara  Interrogation resulted in one more name, Ummet Suna  2 operations were started in Adana and Ankara

Ankara Operation  Ummet Suna was arrested in Sinop with his wife  Necmi Suna (Soldier)  Ali (code) Lutfi Topal

Adana Operation  Adana arrest Adnan Temiz and his wife  His wife gave the address of cell where Adnan had lived  Adnan arrested  In his interrogation, he gave the structure of terrorist group  He was the first terrorist that police got useful information from

Adana Operation:Turning Point  What the structure of terrorist organization was  Where they lived  How they gathered information about their targets  Who was in charge and made decisions about terrorist activities and attacks  How they gathered intelligence about their target The interrogation of Adnan Temiz resulted in the police learning:

Structure of Terrorist Organization Some one

Who Was in Charge Niyazi Aydin IstanbulAnkaraAdana

Operation Went to Istanbul  Police learned Niyazi Aydin (A central committee member and chief of armed wings) and his place where he had met Adnan Temiz  Intelligence Unit joined the operation  They followed Niyazi Aydin for 2 months

Increased Terrorist Activities  Before President Bush Senior came to Turkeysome terrorist activity started against American Companies  Early Clues to what will going on  Police got information that the terrorist group planning big act against American  Police decided to start operation

July 12 Operation  July 12 police operation started before the U.S. President, George Bush, Sr., was scheduled to arrive in Turkey on July 14, 1991  11 high level members of terrorist organization were killed in 4 different cells in Istanbul  The archives of the terrorist organization were discovered and taken for analysis

One document shocked every one

In Short  What was good? –Cooperation –Investigation –Interrogation –Sharing information –Use intelligence and high technology –Keep following every lead without any break

In Short: Initial Interrogations  Why were these interrogations so helpful?  The suspects were – Not active members of the terrorist organization – Worried that they may be identified with the organization – Motivated to cooperate – with conditions  To protect spouse  To establish his innocence in regard to the assassinations

What Went Wrong  Ankara should have arrested Huseyin Koc instead of requesting that Adana do it  Adana Dept. should not have waited until the assassination of the General in Adana  We did not have well-designed database