01 April 2016•Update: 11 April 2016
VIENNA
Turkish people living in Europe have condemned terror attacks in Istanbul and Ankara, as well as Paris, Brussels and Lahore which have left dozens dead and hundreds of others wounded.
The Union of European Turkish Democrats, or UETD, held simultaneous meetings in 50 different locations across Europe including Berlin, Vienna, Paris, London and Brussels.
Speaking in front of Cologne’s Dom Cathedral in Germany on Friday, the group’s head, Zafer Sirakaya, said: "UETD vehemently condemns the violence and terror acts which kill innocent people, threaten the public order and target the peaceful environment by creating chaos in society.
"Banding together against terrorism, strengthening unity and solidarity, will ensure the rebuilding of a peaceful environment and prevent feelings of insecurity."
Sirakaya said more than 10 UETD branch offices and mosques had been attacked in Europe since last summer.
On Tuesday, three unidentified assailants threw Molotov cocktails at the car of UETD’s Hamburg head Muhterem Gungor.
Sirakaya blamed the PKK for the attacks: "We believe that the German police department will be conducting a quick and thorough investigation of the attacks by the terror organization PKK against our offices, which caused strong public indignation," he said.
Stressing that "terror is a crime against humanity," Sirakaya said it cannot be linked to any religion and ethnicity.
"There is no difference between the inhuman and un-Islamic acts of the terror group Daesh and the terror of the PKK, PYD and DHKP-C."
The joint statement was also read out by other offices of the Europe-based Turkish NGO.
The UETD - founded in 2004 by a team of volunteers - has offices in all countries in Europe, with its headquarters in Cologne. Its objective is "to assure the integration of European Turks, including different ethnic groups, into European society while preserving their own identity."
