Seven arrested by counter-terror police over suspected activity linked to proscribed group PKK
Officers are searching locations including the Kurdish Community Centre in Haringey, north London.
Wednesday 27 November 2024 20:15, UK
Seven people have been arrested in London as part of a counter-terrorism investigation into suspected activity linked to the proscribed group 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 detained under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 on Wednesday morning.
Later, police confirmed a seventh person - a 31-year-old man - was arrested on Wednesday afternoon in west London. He was also detained under the Terrorism Act and held in custody at a London police station.
Officers are searching eight locations across the capital, including the Kurdish Community Centre in Haringey, north London.
The police activity at the centre led to protests from the Kurdish community.
The Metropolitan Police said there is not believed to be any imminent threat to the public.
Acting Commander Helen Flanagan, from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, said: "This activity has come about following a significant investigation and operation into activity we believe is linked to the terrorist group PKK.
"These are targeted arrests of those we suspect of being involved in terrorist activity linked to the group.
"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 UK or elsewhere."
The Met said the search of the community centre is expected to last up to two weeks and will remain closed to the public along with the surrounding area, while more officers will be on the streets.
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"This investigation and activity is about protecting all of our communities, but particularly those in our Turkish and Kurdish communities," Ms Flanagan said.
"I would urge anyone who thinks they may have been affected or targeted by those linked to the PKK to get in touch.
"We are also very mindful that closing the community centre 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."
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The PKK has been a proscribed organisation since 2001 for its advocation of Kurdish self-rule through both political and armed struggle.
The group and its aliases are said by the government to be "primarily a separatist movement that seeks an independent Kurdish state in southeast Turkey".