Dokument #1041615
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
The following is an update to Responses to
Information Requests TUR12572 of 2 February 1993 and TUR2295 of 19
October 1989 on Devrimci-Sol (Dev-Sol), and its activities.
As stated in the above-mentioned Responses,
Dev-Sol's origins date to the 1970s. It was one of the first
extreme left-wing organizations to publicly opppose the military
regime set up in September 1980 (Revolutionary and Dissident
Movements 1991, 346). Described as a Marxist underground group
and one of the most feared terrorist networks in Turkey, Dev-Sol
seeks to use violence to overthrow the government and to create a
Marxist state (AP 3 Feb. 1994).
Dev-Sol recruits its members primarily
among the unemployed, frustrated students and alienated slum
dwellers (Los Angeles Times 8 Feb. 1991; The Guardian
18 Apr. 1992). Specializing in urban guerrilla warfare, Dev-Sol has
claimed responsibility for numerous attacks against the Turkish
army, police, secret service and government as well as foreigners
(AP 5 Jan. 1994; AFP 7 Mar. 1993; BBC Summary 22 Mar. 1993).
Dev-Sol members have also carried out armed robberies and have
damaged property belonging to business organizations
(Revolutionary and Dissident Movements 1991, 346-47).
According to The Independent, the group finances its
activities by collecting or extorting "donations" from expatriates
living in Europe (26 Sept. 1993; 3 Jan. 1992).
Reports indicate that Dev-Sol has had links
with Palestinian organizations since the late 1970's, and that many
of its militants have been trained in the Palestinian and
Syrian-controlled camps in Lebanon's Beka'a Valley (The
Guardian 18 Apr. 1992; Middle East News Network 10 Jan. 1991;
Revolutionary and Dissidents Movements 1991, 347). Reports
also indicate links with the Kurdish PKK and radical groups in the
West (Revolutionary and Dissident Movements 1991, 346;
Middle East News Network 1 Feb. 1991).
In July 1991, Dev-Sol's leader was Dursun
Karatas and its European spokesman was Celik Malkoc
(Revolutionary and Dissident Movements 1991, 347).
For additional information on the Dev-Sol's
latest activities, please refer to the attachments listed
below.
This response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
Agence France Presse (AFP). 7 March
1993. "Five Far-Left Militants Killed in Istanbul." (NEXIS)
The Associated Press (AP). 3 February
1994. "Police Arrest Leftist Militants, Seize Dynamite Sticks."
(NEXIS)
_____. 5 January 1994. "Police Arrest 13
Leftist Militants, Seize Weapons." (NEXIS)
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 22
March 1993. "Turkey: Dev-Sol Claims Responsability for Attack on
Istanbul Police." (NEXIS)
The Guardian [London]. 18 april
1992. Jonathan Rugman. "Fifty Die in Turkish Guerrilla Battles."
(NEXIS)
The Independent [London]. 26
September 1993. Jason Bennetto. "Kebab Houses Face Terror Group
Threats." (NEXIS)
_____. 3 January 1992. Tim Kelsey.
"Expatriates, Cash Helps Turkish Armed Struggle." (NEXIS)
Los Angeles Times. 8 February
1991. Home Edition. Hugh Pope. "American Civilian Worker at Turkish
Base Shot to Death; Terrorism: Detroit Man, 46, Becomes First Known
Fatality in Wave of Attacks Since Conflict Began." (NEXIS)
Middle East News Network. 1 February
1991. Ayhan Sayin. "Slain Former General's Family Accuses Govt. of
Negligence." (NEXIS)
_____. 10 January 1991. Ismet G. Ismet.
"President Saddam's Secret Weapon?; Officials Worried over
Palestinian Links With Local Terror Groups." (NEXIS)
Revolutionary and Dissident
Movements: An International Guide. 1991. 3rd ed. Edited by
Henry W. Degenhardt. London: Longman Group UK Ltd.
Agence France Presse (AFP). 7 January
1994. "Turkish Militant Jailed for Smashing Up Bank." (NEXIS)
_____. 23 April 1993. "Extremists Killed
in Clash with Police in Turkey." (NEXIS)
_____. 1 April 1993. "Cinq morts lors
d'une attaque contre la police à Istanbul." (NEXIS)
_____. 7 March 1993. "Five Far-Left
Militants Killed in Istanbul." (NEXIS)
The Associated Press (AP). 3 February
1994. "Police Arrest Leftist Militants, Seize Dynamite Sticks."
(NEXIS)
_____. 5 January 1994. "Police Arrest 13
Leftist Militants, Seize Weapons." (NEXIS)
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 31
March 1993. "Turkey: Forty-Eight People Arrested After
Demonstration at Funeral of 'Terrorist'." (NEXIS)
_____. 22 March 1993. "Turkey: Dev-Sol
Claims Responsability for Attack on Istanbul Police." (NEXIS)
_____. 9 March 1993. "Turkey: Central
Committee Member Among Five Dev-Sol Members Killed in Istanbul."
(NEXIS)
_____. 21 October 1992. "Twenty-Six PKK
'Leaders' Arrested in Istanbul." (NEXIS)
The Guardian [London]. 18 april
1992. Jonathan Rugman. "Fifty Die in Turkish Guerrilla Battles."
(NEXIS)
The Independent [London]. 26
September 1993. Jason Bennetto. "Kebab Houses Face Terror Group
Threats." (NEXIS)
_____. 3 January 1992. Tim Kelsey.
"Expatriates, Cash Helps Turkish Armed Struggle." (NEXIS)
Inter Press Service. 9 March 1993.
Nadire Mater. " Bloodshed Was to Avoid More Bloodshed, Say Police."
(NEXIS)
Los Angeles Times. 8 February
1991. Home Edition. Hugh Pope. "American Civilian Worker at Turkish
Base Shot to Death; Terrorism: Detroit Man, 46, Becomes First Known
Fatality in Wave of Attacks Since Conflict Began." (NEXIS)
Libération [Paris]. 21
April 1993. "Turquie. Un procureur et son chauffeur ont
été tués hier par des inconnus armés
à Adana..."
_____. 2 April 1993. "Turquie. Deux
policiers ont été tués dans une attaque
armée..."
Middle East News Network. 1 February
1991. Ayhan Sayin. "Slain Former General's Family Accuses Govt. of
Negligence." (NEXIS)
_____. 10 January 1991. Ismet G. Ismet.
"President Saddam's Secret Weapon?; Officials Worried over
Palestinian Links with Local Terror Groups." (NEXIS)
Reuters. 14 September 1993. BC Cycle.
"Retired Turkish Colonel Shot Dead in Istanbul." (NEXIS)
_____. 27 June 1993. BC Cycle. "Turkish
Police Kill Two Leftist Guerrillas in Clash." (NEXIS)
_____. 21 February 1993. BC Cycle. Ayse
Sarioglu. "Warders Probably Connived in Turkish Jailbreaks."
(NEXIS)
Revolutionary and Dissident
Movements: An International Guide. 1991. 3rd ed. Edited by
Henry W. Degenhardt. London: Longman Group UK Ltd.