German court sentences PKK terrorist to prison

A German court on Thursday sentenced a man to four years and five months in prison for his leading role in the terrorist group PKK's activities in Germany.

Abdullah O., 59, was found guilty of fundraising and propaganda activities for the terrorist PKK, which is outlawed in Germany since 1993.

The Higher Regional Court of Frankfurt am Main said in a statement that the convict was the chief PKK operative in the federal state of Hesse, and also carried out activities in the cities of Stuttgart and Mannheim.

The accused was also involved in the organization and implementation of propaganda events of the terrorist organization, according to the court.

"He also monitored the collection of 'donations' and personally contacted potential 'donors'. In this way, between June 2020 and April 2021, he collected an amount of more than €900,000 ($984,000) for the PKK," the court said in a statement.

The accused was arrested on May 11, 2021 and has been in custody since then.

The PKK is classified as an "ethno-nationalist" and "separatist" terrorist organization by the EU's law enforcement agency EUROPOL, and is banned in Germany since 1993.

Germany's domestic intelligence agency BfV warned in its annual report that the PKK remains the largest foreign extremist group in the country, and its followers can carry out violent attacks if they receive instructions from the group leaders abroad.

Türkiye has long called on its NATO ally Germany to take stronger action against the PKK and its Syrian affiliate the YPG, stressing that these terror groups use Germany as a platform for their fund-raising, propaganda and recruitment activities.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people.