Raids in Belgium

The arrests in Belgium come just a day after France announced that it would file terror charges against nine Kurds who it says were recruiting fighters for the PKK. The PKK, or Kurdistan Workers' Party, is considered by the European Union, United States and Turkey to be a terrorist organization.

Over 300 police raided 25 sites all across Belgium, the German news agency dpa reported, citing Belgian news reports. Police also raided the offices in Denderleeuw of Roj TV, an international Kurdish broadcaster that backs the PKK.

Firat, a news agency with links to the PKK, reported that the people arrested included two former Turkish parliament members involved in the party's operations in Europe, Remzi Kartal and Zubeyir Aydar.

Since October 2009 Aydar has been on a US list of drug traffickers suspected of using smuggling proceeds to fund the PKK.

Turkey applauds arrests

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters that the raids showed Belgian authorities' "determination and sense of responsibility."

"This action by Belgium, following (similar operations in) Italy and France, carries a very strong message to groups and organizations providing financial resources for terrorist activities," Davutoglu said.

The arrests have led the PKK to call for mass protests in Brussels and "all parts of Kurdistan" a reference to Kurdish-populated areas in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria.

The PKK began fighting with Turkey some 26 years ago in a quest for a separate Kurdish state. More than 45,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

svs/Reuters/AFP/dpa
Editor: Susan Houlton