Counter-terrorism police in London have arrested six individuals suspected of links to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a banned militant group.
The Metropolitan Police detained four men, aged 23, 27, 56, and 62, and two women, aged 31 and 59, during early-morning raids on Wednesday. All six are being held under the UK Terrorism Act at a London police station.
Authorities emphasized that there is no immediate threat to public safety associated with the arrests.
The PKK, designated a terrorist organization in Turkey, the UK, and the US, has waged an armed campaign against the Turkish state since the 1980s, seeking greater rights for Turkey’s Kurdish minority.
As part of the ongoing investigation, police are conducting searches at eight locations across London, including the Kurdish Community Centre in Haringey. The centre and its surroundings will remain closed to the public during the searches, which are expected to last up to two weeks.
Additional police patrols will be deployed in the area over the coming days to reassure local communities, the Met said.
Acting Commander Helen Flanagan of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command described the allegations as “very serious” and noted that the arrests were the result of a “significant investigation.”
“This operation is about safeguarding all communities, particularly our Turkish and Kurdish communities,” Flanagan said. She also urged anyone who believes they may have been affected by PKK-related activity to come forward.
