Officers are carrying out searches at eight separate addresses across London, including the Kurdish Community Centre in north London’s Borough of Haringey….reports Asian Lite News
Six people have been arrested in the UK as part of a counter-terrorism investigation into suspected activity linked to the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
A 59-year-old woman, a 27-year-old man, a 31-year-old woman, a 62-year-old man, a 56-year-old man and a 23-year-old man were all arrested at separate addresses across London early on Wednesday morning.
“These are targeted arrests of those we suspect of being involved in terrorist activity linked to the group,” Helen Flanagan of the Metropolitan Police said.
Officers are carrying out searches at eight separate addresses across London, including the Kurdish Community Centre in north London’s Borough of Haringey. The centre will be closed for two weeks as a result of the investigation.
The PKK has spent decades pursuing self-rule for Turkey’s Kurdish minority, and has waged a guerrilla campaign that has often brought it into direct conflict with the Turkish military. It is a listed terrorist organisation in the UK and the EU.
“This investigation and activity is about protecting all of our communities, but particularly those in our Turkish and Kurdish communities,” Flanagan added. In Turkey, politicians and members have frequently been targeted by members of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish movement for suspected links to the PKK.
Protests erupted in October in Istanbul after mayor Ahmet Ozer was detained for alleged links to the militant group.
Officers are carrying out searches at at least eight addresses across the capital, including the Kurdish Community Centre in Haringey, as part of the investigation. The search is expected to last up to a fortnight, with the centre and surrounding area closed to the public in the meantime.
Following the arrests large crowds gathered outside the community centre and remained there into the evening. Videos show dozens of police forming a line and pushing protesters back.
Scotland Yard confirmed four protesters were arrested on suspicion of support for a proscribed organisation, assaulting an emergency worker, making threats to kill and a racially aggravated public order offence. Ishak Milani, of the Kurdish People’s Assembly in the UK, described the raids on “community spaces” as “unjust and heavy-handed”.
“This aggressive act is not only an attack on our people but also an affront to the principles of democracy, justice, and human rights that the UK claims to uphold,” he said. In response to the accusations of heavy-handedness, the Met Police said: “These are targeted arrests of those we suspect of being involved in terrorist activity linked to the group.”
Acting Cdr Helen Flanagan said the force “understand these arrests have caused some concern amongst certain local communities – particularly those in the Kurdish community”. The arrests over the “very serious allegations” followed a “significant” investigation, she added.
“This investigation and activity is about protecting all of our communities, but particularly those in our Turkish and Kurdish communities.” “I would urge anyone who thinks they may have been affected or targeted by those linked to the PKK to get in touch.”
Officers will hold meetings with community leaders as the investigation progresses, police said. Additional officers will also be in the community in the coming days, the Met added.
Earlier, Turkey’s National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) neutralised a senior member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in an operation in Iraq. Sadiye Muhammed Ahmed, codenamed ‘Hevi,’ was reportedly ‘neutralised’ in a pinpoint strike in Iraq’s Sinjar region.
She had allegedly been active in PKK’s activities in Syria and Iraq since 2001, according to the report. Also Read – 45 punished over China mine gas explosion that killed 11 In a separate operation by the Turkish military in Iraq targeting the PKK, eight other PKK members were killed in the Gara and Metina regions, the Turkish Defence Ministry said Wednesday.
Turkish authorities often use the term ‘neutralise’ to imply the alleged terrorists have either surrendered, been killed, or been captured.
The PKK, designated as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, has rebelled against the Turkish government for more than three decades. Turkey regularly conducts military operations in Iraq, where the group’s headquarters and hideouts are located.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to continue eliminating terrorist threats at their source. “Whether it is within our borders or beyond, no one can prevent us from eliminating any threat we detect against our country,” Erdogan said on Tuesday at a ceremony for the delivery of the T625 Gokbey helicopter to the gendarmerie.
The handover ceremony was held at the headquarters of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) in the Kahramankazan district of Ankara, where two assailants carried out a terror attack last week, leaving five people dead and 22 others wounded.
Turkish authorities have blamed the attack on the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and further intensified both domestic and cross-border security operations against the group.
TUSAS is a major defence and aviation company in Turkey. It produces KAAN, the country’s first national combat aircraft, among other defense equipment.
At the ceremony, Erdogan reiterated that terrorism has no place in the future of Turkey and the region, saying attacks like the one against TUSAS can never break the country’s determination to fight terrorism.
The PKK, listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than three decades.
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