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Viewing cable 07ADANA56, FOUR CHRISTIANS KILLED IN SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07ADANA56 2007-04-18 14:56 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Adana
VZCZCXRO9433
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDA #0056 1081456
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 181456Z APR 07
FM AMCONSUL ADANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4499
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 1045
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 0901
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1102
UNCLAS ADANA 000056 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CACS PTER PGOV PHUM
SUBJECT: FOUR CHRISTIANS KILLED IN SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY 
 
REF: A. A) 05 ADANA 191 
     B. B) 05 ADANA 162, 05 ADANA 182, 06 ADANA 27 
 
1. (SBU) Three Turkish citizens and one German national were 
killed, and two injured, in an April 18 attack Christian 
bookstore in Malatya, a provincial capital about 600 kilometers 
southeast of Ankara.  The victims were all affiliated with the 
tiny Protestant community that has developed in southeastern 
Turkey in the last five years.  The Turkish citizens killed were 
Necati Aydin (leader of the church), Ugur Yuksel and one 
unidentified person.  The German citizen was Tilman Geske. 
Contacts in the church told us that the attackers broke into the 
offices of Zirve Christian publishing house, tied up the 
employees and then slit their throats.  All three died. One 
Turkish employee jumped out of the window in an attempt to 
escape, but died later in the hospital from injuries sustained 
during the fall. 
 
2.  (SBU) The Malatya governor announced that four individuals 
have been taken into custody.  There is no information about the 
assailants, though the media reported that in the past a group 
known as the "Ulkucus" ("Idealists"), had criticized the group 
for publishing bibles.  Zirve has also been harassed in the past 
by local authorities (reftel A) for publishing unauthorized or 
"pirate" books and attempting to sell them in local bookstores. 
Christians in Malatya have also reported to us that local Muslim 
clerics have spoken out publicly against Christians.  The group 
has also reported harassment by fundamentalist Islamic groups. 
In response to the threats, the group moved offices about a year 
ago. 
 
Local AmCit Reportedly Safe 
------------------------------------ 
 
3. (SBU) We have reports that an AmCit (name unknown) is also 
affiliated with Zirve, but was not involved in the attack.  We 
are working to contact him to confirm that he is safe. 
 
Comment 
------------ 
 
4. (SBU)  On one hand, this incident has echoes of the 2005 
murder of a Catholic priest in Trabzon and Hrant Dink's 
assassination in Istanbul this year, both of which were 
committed by ultra-nationalists.  The method of this murder, 
however, is reminiscent of Al-Qaeda. 
 
GREEN