Italian police arrest five members of outlawed PKK

MILAN - The Associated Press

Five members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) were arrested yesterday on suspicion of extorting money from Kurdish immigrants to support the group, Italian police said.

The investigation was sparked by the beating of a Turkish citizen who has a kebab business near Venice. The five, all Turkish citizens of Kurdish origin, are under investigation for conspiring with the intent of extortion and causing serious injury, with the aggravating circumstance of terrorism aims, a police statement said.

Authorities also ordered the search of eight residences in yesterday’s action.

‘Money to buy arms’

The PKK is considered a terrorist organization by the European Union, the United States and Turkey. Italian police said one of those arrested said in conversations overheard by authorities that the extorted money would be used to buy arms and carry out terror actions in southeastern Turkey.