NATO hopeful Sweden charges man with attempting to extort money for group outlaw

9/6/2023 18:56

        Swedish prosecutors charged a Turkish man Friday with "attempted aggravated extortion, an aggravated weapons offense and attempted terrorist financing," saying he was acting on behalf of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party.
        
        Swedish media noted it was the first time that someone in Sweden was prosecuted for alleged terrorist financing of the party. Also known as PKK, it has waged an insurgency in southeast Turkey since 1984 and is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.
        
        Turkey has refused to approve Sweden's request to join NATO, accusing the Swedish government of not doing enough to crack down on PKK members and others whom Ankara considers extremists. The military alliance wants to admit Sweden before a NATO summit next month in Vilnius, Lithuania.
        
        All existing members must ratify a candidate country's accession protocol before it can join the trans-Atlantic alliance. Turkey and Hungary are the only two members that have not yet ratified Sweden's bid.