Germany arrests suspected PKK member


German authorities said Friday they have arrested a suspected member of the PKK terrorist group near Frankfurt Airport.

Federal prosecutors said the man, a Turkish citizen identified only as Gökmen C. for privacy reasons, was arrested Thursday at the railway station connected to the airport.

The man is suspected of having coordinated PKK activities in parts of central Germany between April 2018 and June 2019.

Prosecutors said the suspect took part in propaganda activities and coordinated the collection of donations while reporting to the group's leadership in Europe.

The PKK is recognized as a terrorist group by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU. Since 1984, its members have been waging a separatist insurgency inside Turkey that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

Ankara has long criticized Berlin for not taking serious measures against the PKK and its affiliates in Germany. The groups use the country as a platform for fundraising, recruitment and spreading propaganda.