British police on Wednesday arrested six people in an investigation into activity linked to the PKK, a terrorist group that killed thousands in a four-decade terror campaign in Türkiye.
“Six people ([A] a 59-year-old woman, [B] a 27-year-old man, [C] a 31-year-old woman, [D] a 62-year-old man, [E] a 56-year-old man and [F] a 23-year-old man) were arrested at separate addresses across London early this morning,” London Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
“They have all been detained under section 41(1) of the Terrorism Act 2000 and are in custody at a London police station.”
The statement added: “There is not believed to be any imminent threat to the public linked to the matters under investigation.”
In its 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, infants and the elderly. The YPG is PKK’s Syrian offshoot.
The arrests follow “a significant investigation and operation into activity we believe is linked to the terrorist group PKK,” said Acting Commander Helen Flanagan from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.
“These are targeted arrests of those we suspect of being involved in terrorist activity linked to the (PKK) group,” she added.
She said, “I hope that these arrests show that we will not tolerate any sort of terrorist activity and that we will take action where we believe there is harm being caused to communities here in the U.K. or elsewhere.”
Protecting community
The statement also said police officers are “carrying out searches at eight addresses across London, including at the Kurdish Community Centre in Haringey, north London.”
“The search activity at all eight locations is ongoing. The search at the community center is expected to last up to two weeks. Both the center and the surrounding area will be closed to the public while officers continue their work there.”
It said additional police officers will be carrying out patrols and there will be an increased police presence in the area over the coming days, with officers available to speak with any members of the public who may be concerned.
“This investigation and activity is about protecting all of our communities, but particularly those in our Turkish and Kurdish communities,” Flanagan added. “I would urge anyone who thinks they may have been affected or targeted by those linked to the PKK to get in touch.”
She said: “We are also very mindful that closing the community center may cause inconvenience to some people. Officers will be working as quickly as they can, but these are very serious allegations so it is important that we take care in identifying and gathering as much evidence as we can.”
The PKK terrorist group is outlawed in Britain as well as in the EU and U.S., but Turkish officials have complained that European and U.S. officials – including its partners in NATO – have done too little to crack down on activities within their borders of the violent terrorist organization, including drug trafficking, money laundering and extortion.