On Monday, the trial of a man in his 40s who is accused of trying to collect money for the PKK by blackmailing a restaurateur in Stockholm began.
The accused man arrived at the detention center wearing the prison service's green clothes. The prosecutor is seeking a lifetime deportation.
"His attempt to raise money should be seen as part of a larger operation," prosecutor Hans Ihrman said.
Prosecutor: PKK rakes in millions of euros in Europe annually
Ihrman focused on describing the PKK and the large debt collection activities in Europe that, according to several reports referred to by the prosecutor, bring in millions of euros annually to the PKK.
"Europe is a platform for funding that is absolutely essential for the organization," Ihrman said.
One of the prosecution's most important pieces of evidence is the documented meetings that the defendant has had with an alleged PKK high-ranking who is allegedly responsible for the organization's activities in Scandinavia.
Among the evidence are also images of two female suicide bombers who carried out a terrorist attack in Mersin, Turkey, in September 2022. The images were found in the defendant's car.
Lawyer critical of the investigation
The man's lawyer is critical of parts of the investigation, although his client admits that he visited the restaurant in question.
"There have been no threats or talk of money. And my client has not mentioned the PKK's name," said lawyer Ilhan Aydin.
The man denies membership in the PKK. The flags seized by the police are supposed to symbolize legal parties in Turkey.
"My client sympathizes with the PKK's political struggle for Kurdish rights, but does not support the organization's armed struggle.
It was in January that the accused man allegedly fired a shot in the air in connection with the alleged debt collection. Aydin is critical of this part of the investigation as well.
"There has been no forensic examination outside the restaurant and there is no forensic evidence that a weapon was fired.
The trial continues on Tuesday.