By Themistocles Konstantinou.
After a short look at these two reports I tried to make an assessment about the terrorism over the two countries and the overall view of the US policy in the region. I deploy the 3 parts of the overall report after the assessment as follows:
The U.S. according to standard tactic in recent years published their annual report for the global terrorism with particular reference to Europe. In the introduction, even before partially apportioned to the various European countries, what one realizes is reported separately in the Turkish organization PKK and the overall image of the terrorist attacks in Turkey. Mention is made for assaulting 5 Israelis in Bulgaria and poor activity of anarchists in Greece.
TURKEY.
U.S. officials in 2012 are summarized in a set of 226 cases in Turkey, singling out 12 cases as most important, which killed 73 people and wounded about 200 others. In operations against the PKK, according to information provided by the Turks in the U.S. and in the report for the first 10 months of 2012, we have the following tragic toll:
• 494 rebels dead and 21 wounded
• 44 arrested while 155 others surrendered to authorities.
As far as the legal framework and the number of terrorist groups, as classified by the Turkish authorities indicated the following:
The organizations that plague Turkey with their action – unless the PKK who acts primarily and operates from areas in southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq and targets mainly Turkish security forces – is the far-left DHKP-C with anti-American and anti-NATO views that seeks the violent collapse of the Turkish state, the Turkish Hezbollah (unrelated to her acting in Lebanon) and some smaller inactive but which are characterized.
Regarding the legal framework in Turkey, the Americans described as inadequate by many gaps, as among other shortcomings, there is no adequate information exchange between the U.S. and Turkey. In the “money laundering” Turkey although theoretically belonged to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as an observer in the European mechanism to combat financial crimes because of shortages downgraded in 2011 and in 2012 was driven by a member until they comply and modify the legal framework governing it in combating financial crimes related to terrorism.
Finally the issue of religious extremism, Turkey tries through two programs to combat the phenomenon, while in the second program involved 66,000 Sunni imams, in order to guide the masses through their sermons.
GREECE.
As regards Greece, U.S. officials are limited to reporting minor incidents of terrorism. The
The legal framework is now a reference to adjudication hurdles of court cases due to the strike in 2012 is outlined and illegal and extensive penetration of Turkey a large number of immigrants, both from the land border and sea through the Aegean islands. They are referred to in the provision of education by U.S. police officers and Coast Guard to tackle smuggling in an effort to deal with terrorism.
In the field of economic crime, U.S. officials said the adequacy of Greece in the legal and institutional framework and are dealing with 3586 cases, but there were insufficient data for financial support of international terrorism in the country. Greece is also a member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
EPILOGUE.
Having analyzed the annual report on terrorism seems clear that in Turkey the PKK is a permanent destabilizing factor, and the inadequate legal and institutional framework classifies it into one of the most difficult countries in the issue of security and the maintenance of order, especially in the southern and southeast of the country. Unlike Greece despite the problems with illegal immigration, and that because mainly responsible Turkey (due to the indifference of – at least – to prevent illegal entry to Greece various criminal and non-persons) is characterized by good “image” mainly due to the minimum and victimless cases. Greece is therefore characterized as a safe and “peaceful” country with full participation in all European and NATO ‘forums’ and organizations with very good results.
REFERENCES.
In October 2012, FATF issued a Public Statement noting that, “Given Turkey’s continued lack of progress in these two areas, as a counter-measure, the FATF has decided to suspend Turkey’s membership on February 22, 2013 unless the following conditions are met before that date: (1) Turkey adopts legislation to adequately remedy deficiencies in its terrorist financing offence; and (2) Turkey establishes an adequate legal framework for identifying and freezing terrorist assets consistent with the FATF Recommendations.”
