Sorwar Alam
16 June 2017•Update: 16 June 2017
By Alam
ANKARA
The PKK terror group attacked Turkish institutions and private property across Europe last year, a report the European Union's law enforcement agency said Thursday.
“A number of incidents targeting Turkish institutions, cultural premises and properties occurred in ,” the Europol report said.
Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Romania and Switzerland are the countries where the PKK openly conducts propaganda and fund-raising activities, according to the publication titled "the European Union Terrorism Situation and Trend Report 2017".
“Five IED attacks against Turkish government buildings and cultural associations were reported by France. Belgium also reported incidents between Turkish and Kurdish groups involving the use of arson and explosives. Germany reported various incidents,” the report said.
“Turkish properties and institutions were damaged by incendiary devices. In one arson incident, the damage amounted to at least EUR 2 million,” said the Europol.
“Belgium, France, German, Italy, Romania and Switzerland reported that the PKK continued its fundraising, propaganda and recruitment activities. “
The PKK is designated a terror group by Turkey, the EU and the U.S.
PKK collects €5.3 million in France
The terrorist group enjoys powerful and support in France, Italy and Switzerland, the report revealed.
“In France, it operated a legal front, which includes the Conseil Kurde de France (CDK-F) and the Centre du Kurdistan (CIK); and a clandestine branch aimed at collecting funds, using violence in some cases," the report said.
“In France alone, the fundraising campaign is believed to have yielded EUR 5.3 million," it said.
Europol said that Italy reported recruitment among Kurdish migrants to join Kurdish militia in conflict zones or to become PKK activists in Europe.
Meanwhile, Switzerland told Europol that the PKK were maybe running a number of ideological training camps for its youth in remote pre-Alpine areas during the second half of 2016.”
DHKP/C
The report unveiled that the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C), a Marxist-Leninist terror group in Turkey, has a broad network in several EU member states and “provides financial and logistical support to operatives in Turkey”.
Though the group has ceased its operations in the EU, it “remained active in Turkey and carried out five attacks, targeting police, judicial and government employees”, according to the report.
“The DHKP/C has never conducted attacks in the EU but retains a network in that provides financial and logistical support to operatives in Turkey. Its structures in the EU operate partially under the cover of legally established associations. In 2016, one Dutch citizen was arrested in Germany on charges of terrorism financing connected to the DHKP/C," the report said.
Terror kills dozens of Europeans in 2016
The Europol noted other terrorist activity across the 28-member block, saying that 142 victims were killed and 379 others injured in terrorist attacks.
“In 2016, a total of 142 failed, foiled and completed attacks were reported,” the report said.
It noted that EU states arrested a total of 1,002 people last year for terrorist offences.
“France is the only Member State in which the overall numbers of arrests continue to increase: from 238 in 2014, to 424 in 2015 and to 456 in 2016,” the report added.
