UK counter terrorism police arrest seven over 'PKK activity'

LONDON (Reuters) -British police said they had arrested seven people and were searching a Kurdish community centre in London as part of a counter terrorism investigation into suspected activity linked to the banned Kurdistan Workers Party, known as the PKK.

Those arrested were five men and two women, aged between 23 and 62, police said, adding there was no imminent threat to the public.

"This activity has come about following a significant investigation and operation into activity we believe is linked to the terrorist group PKK," said Acting Commander Helen Flanagan.

"These are targeted arrests of those we suspect of being involved in terrorist activity linked to the group."

The PKK, a militant group founded in southeast Turkey in 1978 with the aim of creating an independent Kurdish state, was banned in Britain in 2001. The group has been involved in a 40-year conflict, leading to more than 40,000 deaths.

British police said they were carrying out searches at eight premises across London, including the Kurdish Community Centre in the north of the capital, which is likely to be closed to the public for up to two weeks.

Flanagan said later on Wednesday that the police understood the arrests had caused concern among some local communities, especially those in the Kurdish community.

"I want to reassure the community that our activity is being carried out to keep everyone safe from potential harm, including those within the Kurdish community itself," Flanagan said.

(Reporting by Michael Holden and Suban Abdulla; Editing by Paul Sandle and Daniel Wallis)

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