Former MP discloses that Iran harbored Ocalan in '90s

Turkish intelligence services have determined that Iran provided shelter at one time to jailed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan, while aiding and abetting Kurdish militants who crossed over the Iranian border for supplies and medical care.

According to former Democratic Left Party (DSP) izmir deputy Recai Birgun, the former chief bodyguard of the late Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, not only Syria but also Iran harbored Ocalan in the past and provided material support to him and his terror network.

Speaking to Sunday's Zaman, Birgun stated that in 1994, Turkish intelligence services determined that Ocalan was hiding in Iran. He even disclosed details of how Turkey conducted a failed special operation to extract Ocalan from his hideout in Iran. "When Ocalan was spotted in Iran, Turkey gave the go-ahead for preparations to conduct a secret operation to pick him up" he stated. Birgun went on to say: "I know this from first hand knowledge because I was working in the security detachment in the Turkish Consulate General in Urmia, Iran, at the time.

I even hosted the special team sent by Turkey to Iran in my home. We scouted places where Apo had possibly stayed. We planted some of our operatives in villages and waited for him to appear. However, it turned out that our intelligence was outdated and Ocalan had already escaped. Later on, we learned that several months before the operation, Ocalan had left Iran."

After serving as chief bodyguard for the late Prime Minister and former DSP leader Ecevit, Recai Birgun was elected as izmir deputy for the DSP. He worked as a security attache at the Turkish Consulate General in Urmia where he served as chief bodyguard of Turkish Consul General Muammer Oyan.

(We have located the PKK camps in Iran) Birgun disclosed details of how intelligence services found the special ties between the PKK and Iran.

"When I was in Urmia, Turkey launched its first military incursion into northern Iraq. Iran sought to obtain compensation by claiming its villages were bombed during the incursion. This led to a crisis between the two countries. Subsequently, delegations from the two countries met in Urmia. I was a member of this delegation. The Turkish delegation showed the location of all PKK camps in Iran to the head of the border security unit. They seemed surprised. After they first denied the existence of the PKK camps in Iran, we wanted to visit these places shown in the photos. They were not eager to take us to the camps. We were able to go there just two days later; however, the camps had already been cleaned out by the Iranians and were deserted. The only thing that we could see was the ruins where refugees had lived," Birgun recalled.

Birgun added: "At that time, we had already verified through the testimony of captured members of the PKK and its Iranian offshoot, the Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan [PJAK], that there were training camps in Seridan, Cerme, Humaro, Keleres, Zagros and Afki. However, Iran also denied the existence of these camps."

Indicating that all PKK attacks in the Hakkari region had been carried out through Iran, Birgun said: "When we visited the region to investigate Iranian claims, we saw that some villages had been bombed by Turkish warplanes. However, there were PKK camps next to these villages. It was impossible to distinguish the PKK camps from the villages."

PKK had a hospital and sewing workshop

In 2002, claims surfaced in the Turkish media that the PKK had operated a hospital in Iran and treated its wounded militants there. Birgun, who worked in Urmia, corroborates these claims. "We knew that the PKK purchased a hospital in Urmia. It was not a full-fledged hospital, but it was enough to treat their wounded. The PKK also ran a sewing workshop to provide uniforms for its militants. When we asked Iranians why they were supporting the PKK, they said that it was in retaliation because Turkey was hosting camps for anti-regime supporters. They claimed there were some pro-shah camps in Kayseri. They said, If you close those camps, we will also close PKK camps." The weapons of Lebanon's Hezbollah carried by PKK

Claiming that there were secret agreements between the PKK and Iran, Birun pointed out that thanks to these agreements the terrorist organization controlled the border trade in the region.

"Iran used to conduct weapons smuggling through Syria and Lebanon using the PKK network. I can safely say that an important portion of Hezbollah weapons in Lebanon had been transported by the PKK," he said.

Birgun also noted that Turkish intelligence was aware of regular meetings between the PKK and Iranian intelligence operatives. "Everyone knows that Iran has supported the PKK since the establishment of the organization. There is a confidence problem between the two countries. We know that Iran has made some secret agreements with the PKK. While fighting with PJAK in the south, Iran has supported the PKK on Turkey's border. The PKK had agreed to not conduct attacks within the boundaries of Iran and kept its promise. After having a deal with PJAK in Kandil, the PKK broke its agreement with the Iranian intelligence unit. PKK supporters attacked the Turkish consulate. This was the first PKK attack in Iran, but the Iranians did not raise their voices against this attack," he explained.

The former parliament member believes the Iranian position has never changed over the years, even though the two countries have cooperated closely in a number of different areas. "In my opinion, Iran's attitude has never changed. It is continuing to exhibit its hypocritical stance. It denies the existence of the PKK in Iran and condones the organization. The Turkish Consulate General in Urmia can confirm that the same camps still exist today. Despite the photos, they deny everything. But they cannot be persuasive. Iran has always established direct connections with terrorist organizations, and it will continue to interact with them," he said.

Ocalan and Sakik have confessed support of Iran. During the Imrali trials, Ocalan confessed to the relationship between Iran and the PKK. He also discussed the weapons-smuggling aspect of the PKK-Iran relationship.

Ocalan said the six trucks loaded with weapons that were seized at the Cilvegozu border gate had not been sent for the PKK. These weapons had been sent to Lebanon's Hezbollah terrorist organization by Iran via Syria. He said that if those weapons had belonged to the PKK, we would have taken them on the Iranian border from Iranian officials.

Turkish intelligence units have determined that in Urmia, a meeting had been held between PKK Executive Council members Osman Ocalan, Duran Kalkan and Haci Ramazan and Iranian intelligence to set up the relationship between the PKK and Iran. It is known that Cemil Bayik, a PKK leader, has very close ties with Iran and has frequently been to Iran. Thanks to the testimony of apprehended PJAK militants, Turkish intelligence units have accessed very important information, including the locations of some weapon inventories of the PKK.

Source: SUNDAYS ZAMAN