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| Narco-Terrorism In Turkey |
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| Yazar:
Serhat UÇAR |
02.08.2007
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Introduction
Drug trafficking has a long history as a world-wide security threat. It is obvious that transnational criminal organizations now play a key role in providing funding for terrorist groups. Importantly, the link between drug trafficking and terrorism has impacted directly and indirectly on violence and instability at all levels from an individual to international level. To clarify these relationships is vital to approach and understand the current threats in global security. Until 1983, narcoterrorism is a term coined by former President Fernando Belaúnde Terry of Peru, and it became very popular in a very short time.
This essay will deal with the definition of narcoterrorism, and then clarify drug trafficking is linked with terrorism. This essay will also explain narco-terrorism in Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) participation in narcoterrorism. Finally, the way to fight narcoterrorism will be considered.
Funding Sources of Terrorism
All terrorist organizations need funds to sustain their violent activities and finance their illegal acts. During the cold war terrorist groups were mostly sponsored by countries. But since the end of the Cold War, a significant decline in funding of guerrilla and terrorist groups by ideologically motivated state sponsors was seen. Because of that decrease of state sponsorship, terrorist groups have increased efforts to become self-financed and had to turn to crime to finance themselves.[i] Various forms of human smuggling, robbery, extortion, kidnapping, blackmailing, arms smuggling have become a necessity. Drug trafficking comes at the top of this list of illegal money raising activities.
Drugs whose income is high, buyer is abundant, exchange with the money in circulation is possible, also exchanging with the guns is possible, marketing network is established easily, always constitute a significant source of income for terrorist organization. In fact, there is no doubt that several terrorist groups participate directly or indirectly in the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, and sale of narcotic drugs. After it has become certain that terrorism and drug trafficking are intertwined, the term "narco-terrorism" have started being used to describe this interface between terrorist organizations and narcotics smugglers.
Definition
Initially, “narcoterrorism” is a term introduced by former President Belaunde Terry of Peru in 1983 when describing terrorist-type attacks against his nation's antinarcotics police. [ii] Narcoterrorism is primarily defined as the use of illicit drugs to advance political purposes and to fund terrorist activities. As we look at existing definitions of narcoterrorism, they supports the statement above. For instance Ehrenfeld wrote, “the use of drug trafficking to advance the objectives of certain governments and terrorist organisations”. An another analyst Martin defined the term as: “political violence committed by dissident drug traffickers who are primarily concerned with protecting their criminal enterprise”. Lastly Napoleoni said that narco-terrorism: “use of terror tactics by the narco-traffickers and drug lords to protect their illegal businesses.” [iii]
DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration)defines a narco-terrorist organization as "an organized group that is complicit in the activities of drug trafficking in order to further, or fund, premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets with the intention to influence (that is, influence a government or group of people)." [iv]
Recently, narco-terrorism is defined in terms of Pablo Escobar, the classic cocaine trafficker who used terrorist tactics against noncombatants to further his political agenda and to protect his drug trade. One of the most infamous "narco-terrorists" Pablo Escobar was a drug trafficker who used drug-related violence and terrorism to further his own political, personal, and financial goals. As leader of the Medellin cocaine cartel in Colombia, he became one of the wealthiest and most feared men in the world. Actually, he became so wealthy in the drug trade that in 1989 Forbes magazine had listed him as the seventh richest man in the world.[v]
The Link Between Drug Trafficking and Terrorism
It is now well-known that many terrorist organizations engage in drug trafficking in order to raise funds for their organizations. According to the US Secretary of State, the most significant terrorist organizations are known the connection to drug-trafficking as follows: in Latin America- Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), National Liberation Army (ELN), United Self-Defense Groups of Colombia (AUC); in South Asia - Al-Qaeda, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (Sri Lanka) and Hezbollah; in Europe-Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Irish Terrorists Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA). Therefore, there is little doubt that the illegal drug trade provides the funding of terrorist operations.
The U.S House Speaker Dennis Hastert announced the link between drug trafficking and terrorism frankly. "The illegal drug trade," says Hastert, "is the financial engine that fuels many terrorist organizations around the world." According to the two officials, Rand Beers, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary for international narcotics and law enforcement affairs, and Francis Taylor, the U.S. Department of State’s ambassador; the move into drug trafficking also has a secondary strategic, purpose: "Not only does it provide funds, it also furthers the strategic objectives of the terrorists. Some terrorist groups believe that they can weaken their enemies by flooding their societies with addictive drugs."[vi]
It is nearly impossible to estimate how widespread the involvement of terrorist groups in the drug trade really is. Interpol has already noted that the chief source of funding of terrorism is the drug trade. The UN reports it is a $400 billion annual business – 8 percent of the world's trade – bigger then the budget of the Pentagon. Of course, drug trafficking and production takes place in many countries where terrorism is fostered – e.g., Afghanistan, Colombia, Iraq, Yugoslavia, Sudan, Peru.[vii]
Finally, the financial profits from illegal drugs have enabled terrorists and guerrilla forces to purchase the arms and other military equipment and supplies necessary to carry out insurgencies and terrorist operations.
Narco-terrorism in Turkey
Turkey is located on the most attractive point on the Balkan route and it reported having been exposed to terrorist activities and drug trafficking for decades. Because of this geographic location, also affected by all phases of narcotics flow between the producing regions and the consumer countries. So, terrorist groups, like PKK, in turkey always use these potentials for gathering money. The PKK ("Kurdistan Workers’ Party") is a terrorist organization established in 1978. This terrorist group, which is responsible for the death of more than 30,000 innocent people, including over 5,000 civilians, is also cited among the 30 main terrorist organizations by the US State Department’s report on "Foreign Terrorist Organizations."
Thanks to Balkan route, The PKK is actively involved in all phases of narcotics trafficking, from the sourcing and processing of the drugs to their smuggling and marketing. The money gained from illicit drug dealings and marketing is channeled to funding its arms purchases, which is required to continue its terrorist activities. According to a report by the British National Service of Criminal intelligence, due to its extensive drug smuggling operations, the PKK has remained well-armed. In 1994 alone, Turkish security forces seized from the PKK a total of 3,075 weapons and various instruments including 767,000'rounds of ammunition; 399 rocket launchers; 3,419 rockets; 4,415 hand grenades; 31 mortars;1,964 mortar bombs; and 131 radios.[viii]
The 1998 annual report of the United States Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, called "The International Narcotics Control Strategy" (INCS) stipulates that the PKK not only uses "taxes" extracted from narcotics traffickers and refiners to finance its operations, but "may be more directly involved in transporting and marketing narcotics in Europe" as well.
A recently released report from the Turkish police, 2007 titled “The Terror of Narcotics,” also showed that the PKK has been active in drug smuggling from the first day it emerged. The report cites over 300 police and military narcotics raids on the PKK since 1984, when the organization first came into being. The report claims that 3,7 tons of heroin, 2,3 tons of hashish, 25 tons of marijuana, 4,3 tons of base morphine [used to make heroin], 2,7 tons of acetic anhydrite [used in the preparation of heroin from morphine], 710 kilograms of cocaine and over 270 thousand Ecstasy pills have been seized in raids on the PKK. The years between 1985 and 1995 saw the largest number of narcotics raids on the PKK, the report said. The raids during those years helped uncover heroin factories, one in Van and the other in Hakkâri -- both eastern Turkish cities. After those raids, PKK gave up on the production of heroin and became involved in its transportation. A series of later raids by both the police and the military stopped PKK sales of drugs from Turkey to European countries.
Detailed information about the report came from Ahmet Pek, a senior police official. Pek said:
“The terrorist organization has control over sellers of drugs out on the streets in European countries, though it is weak, luckily enough, in illegal production and transportation of drugs. The organization is itself selling drugs with help from its sympathizers.”
Pek also added that years of determined efforts by the police worked well to stop the PKK from making more money from the illegal sales of drugs.[ix]
Fighting Against Narco-terrorism
Terrorism is a widespread issue challenging the contemporary world. No nation in today’s world can be considered safe from terrorism. There is solely one single way to overcome this collective plight. That is cooperation of all countries and decisively implementing the international instruments.
Narco terrorism also have to be conceived as an international, furthermore inter-continental matter. Combating with the link between the drug trade and terrorists requires a global effort. The international communities need to take actions in close cooperation with other governments against drug trafficking and terrorist activities. The combination alternative development with eradication, law enforcement, criminal justice and public information are essential for both national and international level. Importantly, the exchanging between law enforcement sector and intelligence communities is vital. Perhaps more significantly, having considered all networks such as drug growers, drug producers and drug traffickers, nations need to fight against organized crime and terrorists at the same time.
Conclusion
Indeed, it is important to note that drugs and terrorism direct and indirect affect on peace and stability. They have existed in society for a very long time, but now they are linking in some ways. In most cases, the relationship between terrorist and drug trafficking organizations is a mutually beneficial. It is commonly accepted that this link provides exchanges of drugs for weapons, use of the same smuggling routes and methods to conceal profits and funds, use of the same resources for laundering money and use of the same corrupt government officials. Term of narcoterrorism is an important signal for international community to be awareness of drug and terrorism threats.
It is clear the close cooperation between criminal and terrorist is likely to increase and seems to be the stronger in the years ahead. This link poses a serious threat to the human security so that all cooperative efforts need to increase more national effective measure and the international cooperation at the high level.
References
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| Yazar:
Serhat UÇAR |
02.08.2007 |
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