Suspected PKK attempt to bomb Turkish NGO in Switzerland thwarted
Abomb ready to explode was found Thursday in the mailbox of the headquarters of the Swiss Turkish Society (ITT), which serves as the umbrella group of Turkish nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in the Rumlang region of Switzerland.
ITT Chairperson Şeref Yıldız, who has been exposed to
attacks by PKK supporters many times and had to leave the house where he lived
for years because of the terrorist threat, spoke to the Anadolu Agency (AA)
regarding the incident.
"They put a bomb in the ITT mailbox between the hours
of 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. yesterday. I noticed the situation because the lid of
the box was open. I immediately called the police,” he said.
Yıldız said that the police told him that the bomb was real.
"The police took the incident very seriously.
Immediately, the area was cordoned off and the evacuation started. Even the
entrance and exit to the town were closed. They also took us out of the
building,” he added.
Yıldız stated that he gave a detailed statement to the
police about the four hours prior the incident and said, "I call on the
Swiss authorities to find those responsible as soon as possible and to give an
account before the law. I had to leave my house in Basel where I have lived for
years due to the threats. Now I have to keep my residence a secret," he
continued.
Underlining that they will continue to work without
compromising on the truth for the benefit of the Turkish community in
Switzerland, Yıldız said: "We live here in peace and tranquility as the
Turkish community. We are pioneering the integration of the Turks into
Switzerland. Such threats will not turn us away from our struggle.”
Stating that the destructive power of the bomb has yet to be
determined, Yıldız added that it has been examined by the Swiss police and the
investigation continues.
PKK supporters of the terrorist group have been behind
attacks on Turkish businesses and organizations in Switzerland in recent
months.
Yıldız's house was attacked for the fifth time in the last
two years by the supporters of the terrorist group PKK on March 17th.
Yıldız had to stay away from his house where his office was
also located for 18 years because his children were worried about the
increasing number of attacks.
Yıldız emphasized that he believes the bomb found in the
mailbox of the ITT headquarters was planted by PKK supporters.
In its more than 40-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 at least 40,000 people,
including women and children.
Europol's annual terrorism report "European Union
Terrorism Situation and Trend Report 2020" suggests the PKK is actively
engaged in propaganda activities as well as collecting money in European
countries such as Belgium, Germany and Romania.
"Members and sympathizers of the PKK continued to be
involved in legal and illegal activities to raise funds to support the group
and its affiliates," the report said.
The PKK and its sympathizers carried out many violent
attacks and rallies targeting the Turkish community in Europe. Last year,
sympathizers of the terrorist group vandalized mosques and shops belonging to
the Turkish community in Germany. Such incidents were also reported in Belgium
and Switzerland.
Turkey has long criticized European authorities for
tolerating PKK activities in their countries and has pressured them to take
stricter measures against the propaganda, recruitment and fundraising
activities of the group. Despite its status as a designated international
terrorist organization, the PKK has enjoyed relative freedom in European cities
and has a particularly strong presence in Germany. PKK supporters have been
allowed to hold rallies, recruit militants and collect funds in Germany, which
is home to some 5 million people of Turkish origin, including Kurds.
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