PKK terrorists say HDP leader's brother trained them

ANKARA

Terrorists who were arrested last year in eastern Turkey claim the brother of the leader of a Turkish opposition party gave them ideological training.

According to information obtained by Anadolu Agency from security sources, the terrorists said Nurettin Demirtas, younger brother of Selahattin Demirtas, leader of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), was involved in activities in the PKK/KCK terror group.

The HDP has long been accused by the government of having links to the terrorist YPG/PKK.

The terrorists, who were arrested in eastern Sirnak and Hakkari provinces, said Nurettin provides training to the group’s members at the so-called Mazlum Dogan academy within the PKK/KCK.

“I know his codename as Siyar Demirtas. This person gives ideological training to group members at Mazlum Dogan academy. He carries an M-16 gun. I know he carries out activities still at the same academy,” one of the terrorists told security forces.

He added that the so-called academy was moved to another region he does not know the name of after Turkey launched an operation in northern Iraq’s Hakurk region.

Another terrorist said Nurettin joined the terror group long ago, adding he is still active within the PKK/KCK.

He was detained in 1991 on charges of being a member of the "Kurdistan Youth Union," known as an organization of the PKK terrorist group, and was sentenced to 22 years in prison in 1994.

He was released in 2006 due to a new provision in the Turkish Penal Code and co-chaired a political party in 2007.

In 2009, he joined a mountain group of the PKK/KCK in northern Iraq’s Mt. Qandil region.

Sought with a red code on Turkey’s most wanted terrorist list, Nurettin has four arrest warrants for the crimes of faking an official document, being a member of an armed terror group and cheating to be exempted from military service.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian offshoot.

*Writing by Sena Guler