Iran seeking extradition of PJAK leader from Germany

TEHRAN, March 9 (MNA) – Parliament speaker Ali Larijani said on Monday that Tehran will seek the extradition of PJAK terrorist leader Abdolrahman Haji Ahmadi from Germany to face trial in Iran.

German police arrested Haji Ahmadi at his home on Friday.

Iran is making diplomatic efforts to persuade German officials to extradite PJAK leader to Iran, Larijani told reporters.

PJAK is an offshoot of the internationally-known terrorist group, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), that conducts deadly operations in Kurdish-populated regions of western Iran.

According to a New York Times report in October 2007, PJAK has had “direct or indirect discussions” with American officials and the group’s leader, reportedly visited Washington in summer of 2007.

Biryar Gabar, one of 11 members of the group’s leadership, also said there had been “normal dialogue” with American officials with one of his bodyguards saying that officials of the group met with Americans in Kirkuk, Iraq, in 2006.

On Thursday, the Belgian police raided the office of KNK, Kurdish National Congress, affiliated with PKK, and arrested a number of Kurdish dissidents including Remzi Kartal, the head of Kurdistan People’s Conference (KHK) and Zobayer Aydar, a member of the executive council of Kurdistan Democratic Confederation (KCK).

Also known as Congra-gel, KHK is regarded as the highest decision-making and legislative body in the KCK.

In another operation on Thursday, Belgian police officers also stormed the headquarters of the Kurdish National ROJ-TV, a broadcaster affiliated with PKK, and captured several members of the staff.

A Belgian police official said that the raids were carried out as part of an anti-terror operation.