French police arrest six alleged Kurdish PKK militants in Marseille

French police arrest six alleged Kurdish PKK militants in Marseille

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French police arrest six alleged Kurdish PKK militants in Marseille 7.12.2010

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December 7, 2010

MARSEILLE, France, — French police acting on a warrant issued by an anti-terrorist judge arrested six alleged militants from the PKK Kurdish separatist group Tuesday in the Marseille region, officials said.

The six, who include "an important (PKK) member on the European level" were being held in the southern port city after being arrested as part of a probe into the group's financing, officials said.

Under French law, the suspects can be held up to 96 hours for questioning — after which they must be released or charged.

French police arrest six alleged Kurdish PKK militants in Marseille. AFP photo.

The PKK is considered a 'terrorist' organization by Ankara, U.S., the PKK continues to be on the blacklist list in EU despite court ruling which overturned a decision to place the Kurdish rebel group PKK and its political wing on the European Union's terror list.

French authorities in March charged nine Kurds with terrorism offences following their arrest for allegedly recruiting fighters for the PKK.

French anti-terrorist police suspected the group had been recruiting and training young members at sites in France, including one training camp discovered north of Montpellier last year.

Police also suspected links with Kurdish groups in Germany, Belgium and Italy.

PKK's demands included releasing PKK detainees, lifting the ban on education in Kurdish, paving the way for an autonomous democrat Kurdish system within Turkey,www.ekurd.netreducing pressure on the detained PKK president, stopping military action against the Kurdish party and recomposing the Turkish constitution.

PKK demanded to stop military and political operations and to release Kurdish politicians who are unjustly detained. The organization also requested to enable imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan's active participation in the process.

Turkey refuses to recognize its Kurdish population as a distinct minority. It has allowed some cultural rights such as limited broadcasts in the Kurdish language and private Kurdish language courses with the prodding of the European Union, but Kurdish politicians say the measures fall short of their expectations.

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