Denmark police arrest eight for financing PKK

Investigator Jens Moeller Jensen says 140 million kroner ($24.6 million) have been shipped from Denmark to the terrorist PKK which is considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the US and the European Union.

He says some 67 million kroner ($11.8 million) were raised in the past three years alone among Kurds in Denmark, mainly from Kurdish businesses.

Those arrested are between ages 27 and 71 and face preliminary charges of financially supporting a terrorist group at a hearing on Wednesday in Copenhagen. The maximum penalty is six years in prison. Police say more arrests could occur.

"The case was among other things initiated by information police obtained during the investigation of the case against Roj TV," Moeller Jensen said.

Turkey has repeatedly said that Roj TV in Denmark is a mouthpiece for the PKK and has urged Denmark to shut it down. The terrorist group has been fighting for autonomy in southeast Turkey since 1984.

In January, the Copenhagen City Court said programs aired by Roj TV were inciting terrorism and fined it and its parent company 2.6 million kroner each. However, the court could not suspend Roj TV's Danish broadcasting license because of legal technicalities.