Nine held in Belgium in Europe terror swoop

1 April 2004

BRUSSELS -Nine people were taken in for questioning in Brussels on Thursday as part of a Europe wide anti-terrorism operation, Belgian public prosecutors have confirmed.

The were all linked to an extreme left wing Turkish group called the Marxist Revolutionary People’s Liberation Army/Front (DHKPC), which the United States and European Union governments consider to be a terrorist organisation.

The DHKPC wants to overthrow the current Turkish government and says it is prepared to use any means it can to do so. It has already claimed responsibility for a number of terrorist attacks in Turkey, including two suicide bombings in 2001 that killed three Istanbul policemen and an Australian woman. It has also carried out attacks in Germany.

Over 50 people were arrested during Thursday’s operation, which was co-ordinated by the Turkish interior ministry and an Italian prosecutor. Turkish police rounded up 37 suspects and a further 16 were taken in for questioning in Italy, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands

Brussels prosecutor Lieve Pellens told Expatica that the main aim of Thursday’s police swoop in Brussels was to gather information about the DHKPC’s activities.

“None of the people are suspected of terrorist activity directly although the name of one was given to us by the Italian authorities,” she said.

Pellens added that the while the nine were being held for questioning they had not been formally arrrested.

Subject: Belgian news