Eight arrested for financing terror organisation

Investigations into Roj TV lead to arrest of eight individuals suspected of financing Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) with upwards of 140 million kroner

Copenhagen Police announced today that it has arrested eight people across Zealand who are suspected of financing the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is listed as a terrorist organisation by the US, Canada and the EU.

The eight individuals, who range in age from 27-71, have collected somewhere between 27-140 million kroner for PKK, police said in a statement. The wide range can be attributed to police still needing to document how long each arrested individual had been involved in collecting and distributing money.

According to the police statement, the arrests are related to investigations into the Copenhagen-based Kurdish TV station Roj TV, which was fined 2.6 million kroner in January for violating Denmark's anti-terror laws. The station, however, hung on to its broadcast licence despite the verdict. The investigation was primarily focused on Turkish citizens of Kurdish descent who live in Denmark.

"The case is, among other things, based on information obtained by police while investigating Roj TV," Jens Møller Jensen of the Copenhagen Police said. "In that investigation, there were indications that throughout several years money was collected in Denmark that benefited the PKK. It also seems likely that PKK-related individuals in Denmark have arranged money for the PKK and Roj TV."

Police said that the raised funds were being controlled by PKK's "self-appointed legislature in Denmark", Dansk Folkesamling, which was established in February at a meeting at an Ishøj school.

The arrestees will be in City Court tomorrow for a preliminary hearing. Police will request that they be held in detention. Tomorrow's hearing will be held behind closed doors, and the police said they would not release more details at this time.

This story was updated at 12:58.

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