Advocates for U.S.-Turkish relations called the lawsuit’s claims false, obnoxious and “pure ugly.”
HELENA, Mont. (AP) – A lawsuit seeking to block the transfer of a Montana dam to two Native American tribes makes the unusual assertion that the transfer could lead the Turkish government to seek raw nuclear materials on U.S. soil to blow up the dam or other targets.
Turkey is an American ally, a member of NATO and has been key partner in the U.S. counterterrorism efforts in the Middle East, according to the U.S. State Department. The nonprofit Nuclear Threat Initiative says Turkey is active in nuclear proliferation prevention efforts and is a member of all major treaties governing the acquisition and use of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.
Advocates for U.S.-Turkish relations called the lawsuit's claims false, obnoxious and “pure ugly.”
The lawsuit filed by state Sen. Bob Keenan, former state Sen. Verdell Jackson and Pointer Scenic Cruises seeks an emergency order to block Saturday's transfer of the Kerr dam from NorthWestern Energy to the tribes on Montana's Flathead Indian Reservation.
U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras did not make an immediate decision on the request following a hearing Friday in Washington, D.C.
Part of the lawsuit contends the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission should hold hearings on the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes' ability to safely operate the dam, but a large portion of the suit claims national security concerns should prevent the transfer.
Its assertions are rooted in the efforts of the Turkish government and Turkish-American organizations to establish business and cultural exchanges with Native Americans.
Keenan, Jackson and Pointer, through their lawyer, Lawrence Kogan, suggest the Turkish government may be seeking to “to more freely promote their brand of Islam on reservations and/or to pursue other potentially more dangerous activities.” Those other activities could include seeking access to uranium deposits and water sources to produce yellowcake for use in bombs, and to tap into the tribes' expertise in cleaning up uranium mill tailings to help them, the lawsuit said.
“It is quite possible that the Turkish government, sponsored Turkish business enterprises, and affiliated terrorist groups or members may be seeking access to such expertise for possible acquisition and use of incendiary devices to compromise Kerr dam and/or other off-reservation targets,” the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit provides no factual basis for making its assertions against the U.S. ally. G. Lincoln McCurdy, president of the Turkish Coalition of America, called the lawsuit's assertions completely false.
“There is interest in developing business with Indian Country,” McCurdy said. “But bringing Islamic values and nuclear arms? That's all totally ridiculous.”
McCurdy said the only business interests that are being developed is The Turkish Coalition of America has promoted trade in agricultural products and cowhides from Native American tribes to Turkey, though no actual trade has yet been established, McCurdy said.
“Turkey is Muslim. The president and prime minister are very pious Muslims. But they are also very practical businesspeople,” McCurdy said. “Turkey and the U.S. are fighting together against Islamic extremism.”
One of the plaintiffs, Jackson, said he was not aware that Turkey was a U.S. ally or a member of NATO and he downplayed the lawsuit's national security claims.
“To me, that's a very minor issue,” he said.
Tribal spokesman Rob McDonald did not have an immediate comment.