Terrorist suspect arrested on cruise ship
(CNS): A German-Turkish man who was arrested on a cruise ship Thursday on an Interpol warrant appeared in court Friday morning facing potential extradition to Turkey for alleged terrorist offences in the late 1980’s relating to the PKK/ACK Kurdish separatist groups. Celal Kildag is accused by the Turkish authorities of a murdering two people and burning down two primary schools in the eastern part of the country. Speaking through an interpreter, he said he was a German citizen who has lived there for 34 years and he knew nothing of the allegations.
Reading from the extradition request order, Magistrate Grace Donalds said he was accused of “carrying out terrorist acts on behalf of an armed terrorist organization the PKK/KCK and attempting to separate some parts of land under the state”.
The crimes were said to have been carried out by him and others on 23 April 1988.
Looking bewildered and dressed in casual cruise-vacation clothes, Kaldig, who appeared to be in his late fifties, spoke through an unofficial interpreter and declined to consent to the extradition. Laurence Aiolfi acted in defence of Kaldig, who was remanded in custody at the request of the director of public prosecutions until Wednesday, when the next hearing was set. The court heard that the Turkish government now has 45 days to file a formal extradition request.
It is understood the UK, and by extension Cayman, does have an extradition treaty with Turkey, despite the recent human rights questions raised over Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s response to the failed military coup. The Turkish president has incarcerated thousands of people suspected of having connections to the group led by Fethullah Gulen, who is in exile in the United States and who the Turkish government believes was behind the coup attempt.
The PKK, or the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, is a left-wing organisation seeking self-determination for the Kurdish people in Turkey, where it is considered a terrorist organisation and is also a target of Erdogan’s government, but it is not considered a terrorist organisation by all states.
The United Nations has not designated it as a terrorist group and the British government considers the PKK to be a prescribed group, falling short of attaching it a terrorism label.
Turkey has gone wild and charged tens of thousands of people overseas since the attempted coup. This will be tossed out in all likelihood.
Where did he board the cruise ship? How does he get from Germany to Cayman on a cruise ship with no problem until he hits the dock here? How old is the Interpol warrant? Lots of unanswered questions.
Stop doing dirty work for dictator Erdogan. If this guy did all that, then someone should ask why! Turkey denied the existence of Kurds and schools was part of spying system for Turkish state.
Careful, careful
Can he lay tile?
Funny how the UK can justify anything so long as the realm get the money eh. Recep Tayyip Erdogan is a hardcore Islamist and Dictator yet its ok so long as he paying eh?
Kudos to CNS for a well written article which raises some very intresting points about the UK’s double standards on Human rights. Go no further but google UK arms exporters target Turkey or the 1.7 billion dollar deal for missles and rockets. Must be the Money$$$$$ .
Turkish!
The real question is why was this gentleman not nabbed in the US??? Yes Cayman before you ding dong loyalist jump up and down praising mother dearest prowiness read CNS article and what the writer has so graciously pointed out to us about Turkey’s very nasty Human right record and how while the UK is around here on one hand pontificating about us meeting obligatory human rights on immigration and Other matters. Yet it plays this very nasty hypocritical double game with some of the very worst countiries for human rights in the Middle East. Some may wonder about this little situation but look no further or google it than the 1.7 billion arms deal UK arms suppliers have now arrange to sell Turkey. That probally has more to do with Mr Kildag;s current predicament than his 1980 alleged crimes of burnng down primary schools and murdering 2 persons.I am not saying is not guilty just saying some must mind how they get Cayman and its people embroiled in their little double game thats all.
Please, let’s hope that someone with sense has matched the finger prints this time?!?
Put that finger print system at the airport lets see is coming over sometime.
Finger print system linked to where?
Engage brain …a finger print system linked to no other country database is a useless system.
Oh anyone know of any country in the world who has shared their finger prints with other border agencies.
Obviously our border control system worked otherwise this terrorist would have passed by.
things that make you go hmmm..better keep watch on that large ugly house being built on the Beach..we need to be careful about those in our midst and who we willy-nilly give PR.
Not all Turkish are terrorists just like all Americans are not rednecks! Grow up!
Thank you border control officers. Cayman doing its part to make the world a safer place. 3:20 complain complain complain …you obviously know nothing about this so refrain from making your lack of knowledge so obvious.
Willy nilly PR ? Where have you been living USA Canada UK?
Caymankind… Spreading hate with no proof or reason. No wonder this place is screwed up
He was on a cruise ship you idiot!
4:45pm no worries bro he on the side buying UK arms erryting al right so long as you keeping the UK economy afloat and the money flowing no matter how tyranical you are. If the PKK was buying weapons this poor geezer wouldn’t be arrest either.
Let’s dial back the arrogant racist comments please. Yeah, that means you.
Little too close for comfort
Too close for what, you let a home grown ‘terrorist’ return from the UK a couple of weeks ago, and look how you dealt with that.
This guy wasn’t a threat to Cayman or the damn ship he was on, don’t over exaggerate because some murdering thug gets caught in Cayman, after all, you have enough of your own to worry about.
C’mon 1988?! How on earth is anyone going to be able to get enough evidence for extradition? How do they know they have the right guy? The Turkish government is notoriously untrustworthy due to their blanket prosecutions of innocent people claiming they are terrorists. This man should be released and not extradited.
So you’re the sleeper cell that was waiting for him…
There doesn’t seem to be any evidence against the guy. Extradition of someone to an unstable government that is known to lie would set a dangerous precedent.
So far the only comment that shows understanding of this issue.
Extradite him to a dictator state? Not smart. Bring on the human rights lawyers and Cayman will be in the spotlight for reasons it doesn’t want to be.
Hey 3:20pm tell that to the families that are waiting for justice. Your a complete idiot. How do you release someone without confirming if he has committed those offences…
Well I’m sure they’ll sort it out. Police have more information than me but from the sound of the story I find it hard to believe they have the right guy here…
The other side of that coin is how can you arrest and hold someone without at least the same level of evidence you would need to do that to a resident of your own jurisdiction? Just because I say you were guilty of a murder doesn’t mean you should be arrested and held until you can prove you didn’t do it!