The Blood Merchants Are Behind It (Mr. Ali Garzan, the European representative of the National Liberation Front of Kurdistan (ERNK), in a statement faxed to our office, denied any links with the arson attack in Kucuk Cesmece, Istanbul. The following is his statement.) The arson attack in Kucuk Cesmece, Istanbul, which culminated in the death of three people and the destruction of the Nazlim Boutique, has nothing to do with our organization. Neither our militants nor our functionaries had anything to do with this event. We think the incident could be the work of the forces associated with the Turkish state. The press has done a disservice in its reporting of this incident by jumping on the state bandwagon and stating that we, PKK operatives, have done the deed. In so doing, they have sided with the government to incite the people to view the PKK as an alien enemy force. In the Turkish press, there are references to a few slogans apparently expressed by the arsonists. Let us put the event in perspective: these slogans do not belong to us. We feel it is incumbent on us to let the Turkish people and the press know that we sense a ploy in this incident. Those who are perpetrating these acts have a goal in mind and that is to pit the Turkish people against the Kurdish people. It behooves us not to come to these provocations. These are the same people who committed acts of murder in Gazi Mahellesi and Umraniye in March. We consider the victims of this act as our people. We extend our condolences to their families. We urge the public to be aware of these acts. We ask that they not become tools of these remotely- controlled events. Events such as these only benefit the blood merchants and their authors who believe in military solutions. They service the cause of fascism and chauvinism. National Liberation Front of Kurdistan (ERNK) - European Section May 6, 1995