Italian municipality grants citizenship to PKK leader

ANKARA

Turkey condemned on Friday the decision by Italy's Fossalto municipality of granting honorary citizenship to terrorist leader Abdullah Ocalan.

In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said granting honorary citizenship to the PKK terrorist leader was an embarrassing development that ignored the crimes he committed against humanity.

The ministry termed the decision a futile action to legitimize the PKK -- which is already listed as a terrorist organization in the EU -- and its leader.

"It is completely against the spirit of international cooperation in the fight against terrorism," the statement added.

Ocalan is responsible for the murder of over 40,000 innocent people and has a lengthy criminal record in drug and human trafficking, money laundering, child abduction, and other organized crimes.

Ankara said it expected Rome's cooperation in the fight against the terrorist organization.

PKK terrorists often use northern Iraq to plan cross-border terrorist attacks in Turkey.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., as well as the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.