Apo's brother released

[kurdeng at aps.nl]

995 23:29:35 -0800


ANKARA, Turkey (Reuter) - A Turkish court has released the brother of the head
of the rebel Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) who was detained at the weekend for
trying to travel to Greece illegally, police said Monday.

A security court in the western city of Izmir freed Mehmet Ocalan Sunday night
without charges, a police spokesman told Reuters. Two suspected PKK guerrillas
detained with him were remanded in custody, he said.

Ocalan, his six children and the two suspected guerrillas were caught trying to
board a privately-hired boat for Greece Saturday.

Anatolian news agency quoted Ocalan, the brother of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan,
as admitting he had attempted to leave the country without a passport and visa
but only because he needed medical treatment abroad. He apparently believed it
would be difficult for him to obtain the correct documents.

Abdullah Ocalan's other brother Osman is a top PKK military commander.

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 * Origin: APS Amsterdam (aps.nl), bbs +31-20-6842147 (16:31/2.0)