Germany: PKK behind 1,028 criminal acts in 2017

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN

Terrorist group PKK was responsible for over a thousand criminal acts in Germany last year, the Interior Ministry announced on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press conference in Berlin, Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said police have recorded a total of 1,617 politically-motivated crimes committed by foreign, mostly far-left groups.

PKK followers were responsible for 1,028 criminal acts, according to the annual crime statistics announced by the minister, of which 151 were violent offences.

Seehofer noted that the overall number of politically-motivated crimes decreased in 2017 compared with the previous year, but he underlined that cannot be a reason to loosen security measures.

“Our constitutional state must continue to fight against all forms of extremism and terrorism by every possible means,” he said.

The PKK has been banned in Germany since 1993, but it remains active, with nearly 14,000 followers among the Kurdish immigrant population in the country.

Turkey has long criticized German authorities for not taking serious measures against the terrorist group which uses the country as a platform for their propaganda, fund-raising and recruitment activities.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU. The group waged a terror campaign against Turkey for more than 30 years and has been responsible for the death of nearly 40,000 people.

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN

Terrorist group PKK was responsible for over a thousand criminal acts in Germany last year, the Interior Ministry announced on Tuesday.

PKK followers were responsible for 1,028 criminal acts, according to the annual crime statistics announced by the minister, of which 151 were violent offences.

Seehofer noted that the overall number of politically-motivated crimes decreased in 2017 compared with the previous year, but he underlined that cannot be a reason to loosen security measures.

“Our constitutional state must continue to fight against all forms of extremism and terrorism by every possible means,” he said.

The PKK has been banned in Germany since 1993, but it remains active, with nearly 14,000 followers among the Kurdish immigrant population in the country.