Prosecutor objects to court's PKK ruling in Brussels

By Hasan Esen

BRUSSELS

Belgian Federal Prosecutor's office Friday objected to a Brussels court's ruling on the activities of the PKK terrorist organization, saying it could not be classed as terrorism but as an “armed campaign”, a judicial source said.

The prosecutor's office in its objection urged the court to recognize the group's acts as "terrorism", the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.

On Thursday, the court in Brussels hearing the case against 36 alleged PKK members refused the prosecutor’s request to send the suspects to a higher criminal court, saying an “armed campaign cannot be considered as terrorist acts.”

The decision was made despite the group being listed as a terrorist organization by the EU, the U.S. and Turkey.

The suspects are accused of kidnapping children from their families in Belgium and other “Western countries”, and sending them for training to Greece and Iraq, the 7SUR7 news website reported. They are also accused of forging documents and extorting businessmen.

Among those standing trial are Remzi Kartal and Zubeyir Aydar, said to be senior members of the PKK’s European arm. They were among PKK suspects arrested in March 2010 in raids on 18 addresses across Belgium.

The court case began in October 2015 following an investigation that began in 2006, according to 7SUR7.

Belgium has been criticized in the past for failing to act against the PKK. In August, supporters in Brussels were allowed to celebrate the anniversary of the terror group’s first attack in 1984 and five months earlier followers had been allowed to set up tents outside EU buildings ahead of a Turkey-EU summit.

Apart from Belgium, the PKK is also active in EU countries such as Germany, Austria, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Sweden and Greece.