The UK’s Counter Terrorism Police have arrested seven people in London for suspected activity connected to the banned militant group, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). As reported by the BBC, the Metropolitan Police stated two women, aged 59 and 31, and four males, aged 27, 62, 56, and 23, were apprehended at separate addresses.
The police force expressed that there is not believed to be any imminent threat to the public related to the matters under investigation. The PKK is banned as a terrorist outfit in Turkey. The PKK, a militant group established in southeast Turkey in 1978 to institute an independent Kurdish state, was outlawed in Britain in 2001. The group has been engaged in a 40-year conflict, leading to more than 40,000 casualties.
Following the detentions, large crowds gathered outside the community centre. Scotland Yard verified four protesters were arrested on suspicion of backing a proscribed organisation, attacking an emergency worker, making threats to kill, and a racially troubled public order offence.
Met Police stated:
“These are targeted detentions of those we suspect of being involved in terrorist activity connected to the group.”
Acting Cdr Helen Flanagan expressed the force
“understand these arrests have caused some concern amongst certain local communities – particularly those in the Kurdish community”.
The detentions over the “very serious allegations” followed a “substantial” investigation, she added.
“This analysis and activity are about protecting all of our communities, but particularly those in our Turkish and Kurdish communities.”
“I would encourage 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 expressed. Additional officers will also be in the community in the coming days, the Met stated.
Recently, the PKK claimed responsibility for an invasion of a defence company in Ankara in October in which seven people, including two attackers, were killed and 22 others were wounded. In 2021 three men sentenced for breaking terrorism laws by showing their backing for the PKK by waving flags at a rally in London failed their appeals at the UK’s Supreme Court.
