Six Arrested in UK Over Alleged Ties to Kurdish Rebel Group
Six persons have been arrested in London by counter-terrorism police for suspected links to the banned militant group, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
The arrests took place in the early hours of Wednesday, with two women, and four men taken into custody at separate locations as they have been detained under the Terrorism Act and are being held at a police station in London.
The PKK is classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the United Kingdom. It has been involved in an ongoing conflict with the Turkish state since the 1980s, advocating for greater rights for Turkey’s Kurdish population. While the investigation is ongoing, the Metropolitan Police have stated there is no immediate threat to the public linked to the case.
As part of the investigation, police have carried out searches at eight locations across London, including the Kurdish Community Centre in Haringey. The searches are expected to continue for up to two weeks, during which the community center and the surrounding area will remain closed to the public. Additional police patrols will be deployed in the area over the coming days.
Helen Flanagan, the Acting commander of the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command further emphasized the seriousness of the investigation as she urged anyone who believes they may have been affected by activities related to the party to come forward as the investigation is crucial for safeguarding all communities, particularly those within the Turkish and Kurdish populations in London.
