ANKARA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police detained at least 38 suspects after an investigation allegedly revealed a plot of sabotage by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the state-run broadcaster TRT reported on Monday.
Public prosecution authorities in Türkiye launched a probe upon a report by the country's Financial Crimes Investigation Board, which claimed that the PKK sought to attack marinas and railroads and set forests on fire.
After a year-long investigation, the police nabbed 38 out of 43 suspects in several operations in Istanbul and other cities, the TRT reported, without providing the date of the operations.
The probe revealed an alleged "sabotage team", which regularly paid the suspects assigned to sabotage tasks.
The police carried out the operations after the suspects conducted reconnaissance on potential targets.
One of the suspects, identified only by his initials, M.U., cooperated with the Turkish authorities and confessed to the group's alleged plans, according to the TRT.
The suspect reportedly conducted reconnaissance on the natural gas tank of a factory on the road to the northwestern Corlu province. He took videos and was paid in return.
In January 2022, he did reconnaissance on marinas in Bodrum district of southwestern Mugla province, the country's popular tourist destination.
The PKK allegedly asked him to sabotage a high-speed train line in central Eskisehir province, the TRT reported.
A.K., another suspect, allegedly admitted that they were ordered to set forests on fire.
The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has rebelled against the Turkish government for more than three decades. ■
