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Israel, Turkey Join Forces Against Al Qaeda By Joel Leyden Jerusalem----January 10......Israel's external intelligence agency, the Mossad, is now working with Turkey to track down al Qaeda agents in the region.
The extraordinary alliance between security officials in Muslim Turkey and the Jewish state illustrates how seriously the world's intelligence agencies are taking the continuing threat from Osama bin Laden terror network. Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, confirmed the ties to Mossad in a recent interview with Israeli TV. Erdogan admitted Turkey had misread the al Qaeda threat before homicide bombers struck twice in Istanbul last November. "That's the nature of terrorism," he said. "It is toying with the different intelligence agencies around the world." In November Islamic terrorists first attacked two synagogues and less than a week later suicide truck bombs exploded at a London-based bank and the British consulate, murdering 27 people and wounding nearly 450. The worst terrorist bombings in Turkey's history coincided with President Bush 's trip to Britain and were blamed on al-Qaida. Among the dead was British Consul-General Roger Short, London's highest-ranking diplomat in Istanbul, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said. "What hurt me deeply," said Erdogan, a proud Muslim, "is that the attacks on the synagogues took place during the prayers of innocent people." Turkey quickly launched a massive hunt for the bombers' accomplices. Sources said one of the arrested suspects admitted: "We wanted to attack American targets in Ankara and Istanbul. But they're so tightly guarded even birds can't fly over them." So, he said, the terrorists chose the second-best targets. More than 50 people were killed and more than 300 wounded in the bombings. Another man, a major suspect in the attacks, was arrested within two weeks of the bombings when he tried to flee to Iran with false ID. But still safe and in hiding is the mastermind of the attacks, a Jordanian named Abu Musab al-Zarkawi, according to the Turkish newspaper Huriyet. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon spoke with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and told him that international terrorism is the main threat to the peace and stability of the free world, and that an uncompromising war against it is necessary. This was the first time the two men had spoken since the recent wave of terrorism in Turkey. They did not talk following the terror bombings at two Istanbul synagogues. Sharon emphasized to Erdogan, leader of the Islamic AKP Party, that this "is not a war against Islam, but against terrorist elements" being led by Muslim extremists. Sharon conveyed his condolences for the "tragedies that hit Turkey in November," and said that Israel well understands Turkey's pain. Israel and Turkey have become extremely close friends in both government to government and people to people relations. Turkey is a favorite resort area for many Israelis and commercial trade between the two countries is substantial In August 2002 Israel agreed to buy about 1.75 billion cubic feet of water from Turkey annually for the next 20 years to alleviate the nation's growing water shortage and ensure the success of an arms deal with Ankara, Israeli officials said. The quantity was believed to be enough to satisfy about 7 percent of Israel's annual needs for potable water. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Turkey's Energy Minister Zeki Cakan reached the deal at a meeting in Jerusalem. While the price was not agreed, a joint committee was set up "to discuss and finalize the issue," according to a joint statement released after the talks. Sharon senior spokesman Raanan Gissin said the water deal was tied to the sale of a big package of Israeli weapons to Turkey, including tanks and air force technology. In August 1999 after a severe earthquake killed thousands in Turkey, Israel Air Force planes airlifted an Israeli IDF search and rescue team, comprising 250 persons, as well as sophisticated rescue equipment and rescue dogs. The Israeli team began almost immediately to work at several locations, in coordination with the Turkish government. In September 1999, Israel Television's Channel 1 in coordination with the Israel Foreign Ministry conducted a "Teletrom" (telethon) fund-raising campaign on behalf of the victims of the earthquake in Turkey. The six-hour broadcast featured appearances by leading Israeli performers as well as interviews with Israeli survivors of the earthquake and members of the Israeli rescue and relief efforts, as coordinated by the Israel Foreign Ministry and the Israel Defense Forces.
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