Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 09/2008

PolicyWatch #1362: Divergent European Approaches to Combating PKK Terrorism

Abdulkadir Onay

April 2008

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Abstract

Earlier this month, Europol -- the European Union law enforcement agency that handles criminal intelligence -- released its annual Terrorism Situation and Trend Report, part of which addresses the European criminal activities of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). The release comes on the heels of a March 29 German report outlining considerable details about PKK activities in Germany. Although these reports help illustrate the extent of the group's European infrastructure, many European governments have still not taken serious steps to counter the threat, despite the PKK's presence on the EU's terrorism list.