PKK suspect caught with explosives in western Turkish city

İZMİR – Anadolu Agency

CİHAN photo

Police disarmed a man, suspected of being a member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), carrying 14 kilograms of explosives and a firearm near a shopping center in the western city of Izmir on June 1.

A police team performing a routine road check late on June 1 in İzmir’s Gaziemir district halted a public transport vehicle and detained one man, identified only by the initials G.S., after finding 14 kilograms of explosives and a firearm inside his bag, security officials stated.

They said they had been following the suspect since he arrived in İzmir five days ago, allegedly to carry out a bomb attack.

Authorities added that G.S. is thought to have joined the terrorist group PKK in 2010 and received training in a camp in northern Iraq. He arrived in Turkey last week and was thought to be planning an attack in İzmir.      

Police took precautions against the possibility of the explosives being detonated remotely, while also closing the street to traffic and evacuating nearby citizens.

G.S. has been taken to the Anti-Terrorism Branch of Izmir Police Department and an investigation is ongoing.