According to Abdullah Öcalan, what he described as the 'Third World War' began with the operation carried out against him. He stated that his forced departure from Syria was directly linked to the NATO-Gladio operation.

Abdullah Öcalan faced two possible paths for leaving Syria: the mountains or Europe. He believed that choosing the path of the mountains would intensify the war, whereas taking the European route could open up possibilities for a diplomatic and political solution. Ultimately, he chose to go to Europe and left Syria on October 9, 1998. During the following four months—leading up to 15 February 1999—the international conspiracy, led by the United States and involving NATO’s Gladio structure with the support of several other states, culminated in Abdullah Öcalan’s capture and eventual transfer to Imrali Prison.

The hegemonic powers, along with the countries that supported them, participated in the conspiracy in line with their own strategic interests:

 -The United States and Israel, in pursuit of the Greater Middle East Project and the occupation of Iraq;

 -Russia, due to the Blue Stream Project and a ten-billion-dollar loan from the International Monetary Fund;

 -Greece, in exchange for progress on resolving its disputes with Turkey over the Aegean Sea and Cyprus;

 -And other countries involved in the plot, whose motivations were not unlike those listed above.

Within this context, Abdullah Öcalan, who had seen the hidden and true face of NATO during his journeys, described the implementation of the conspiracy against him as marking the beginning of the most critical phase of the genocidal regime.

One of the most significant operations in NATO’s history

In his Fifth Defense, Abdullah Öcalan addressed the international conspiracy with the following reflections: “The four-month period between 9 October 1998, and 15 February 1999, was intense and extraordinary. No power other than the United States—the hegemon of the world—could have orchestrated such a complex operation over those four months. The role of Turkey’s special warfare units during this period was limited to transporting me to Imrali by plane, and even that was done under strict control. This was, without a doubt, the execution of one of the most important operations in NATO’s history. It was so clear that wherever I went, no one dared to take a different stance. Those who did were immediately neutralized. Even a major power like Russia was rendered ineffective in a very clear manner. The stance of the Greek authorities alone was enough to explain everything. The security measures taken inside and outside the house where I stayed in

Rome were extremely revealing. Exceptional, prison-like precautions were put in place. I was not even allowed to take a single step outside. Special security teams guarded every corner, even up to the door of my room, around the clock. The D’Alema government at the time was a leftist democratic government. D’Alema himself was inexperienced and unable to make decisions on his own. He traveled across Europe seeking support. The United Kingdom told him he needed to make his own decision and showed little solidarity. Brussels’ stance was unclear. In the end, the matter was referred to the judiciary. It was impossible not to see the influence of Gladio in all this. Italy, after all, was one of the countries where Gladio was strongest. Silvio Berlusconi mobilized all his power. He was a man of Gladio. I knew Italy could not bear the burden of my presence, so I had to leave. As a result, Turkey was transformed into the most loyal—yet most dependent—ally of the United States and Israel. What was portrayed as a ‘mad rush into globalization’ was nothing more than a story of Turkey being handed over to global financial capitalism.”

The beginning of the Iraq operation

In his defense, Abdullah Öcalan stated that the scenario of the occupation of Iraq was closely tied to his capture. “In fact, the occupation began with the operation against me,” he said. He continued: “The same applies to the occupation of Afghanistan. More precisely, the operation targeting me was the first and one of the most crucial steps in the implementation of the Greater Middle East Project. It was no coincidence when Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit said, ‘I could never understand why Abdullah Öcalan was handed over.’ Just as the First World War began with the assassination of the Archduke of Austria by a Serbian nationalist, in a similar way, the ‘Third World War’ was initiated through the operation carried out against me.’’

To be continued...