PKK biggest foreign terror group in Germany, says intelligence chief

COLONGE, Germany

The PKK is the biggest foreign terror group in Germany, with some 14,500 supporters, said the country's intelligence chief on Tuesday.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants, according to Turkish authorities.

Türkiye has complained that despite the group’s illegal status, European Union countries have long turned a blind eye to its activities on their soil, including media outlets, pro-terror demonstrations, and violence threatening Turkish diplomatic offices and Turkish nationals abroad.

"Extremists use crises to make connections with the middle classes and also share conspiracy myths, disinformation, and propaganda," said Thomas Haldenwang, the head of Germany's domestic intelligence agency Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) during a joint press conference with Interior Minister Nancy Faeser in Berlin.

Right-wing extremism continues to be greatest extremist threat in country, he remarked.

Haldenwang added "We also see a high level of radicalization in violent left-wing extremism."

According to him, the threat of espionage, illegitimate influence, disinformation campaigns, and cyber-attacks has also risen, largely also due to Russia's war on Ukraine.

"The main actors in these activities directed against Germany are the Russian Federation, the People's Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Iran, each with a different focus."

Faeser echoed his remarks, saying: “The criminal Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has changed the security situation throughout Europe. We have taken strong measures to arm ourselves against espionage, disinformation campaigns and cyber-attacks."