Kurdish television stations based in East Flanders searched as part of investigation into the financing of terrorism
Detectives carried out searches the premises of two Kurdish television channels in the East Flemish municipality of Denderleeuw on Monday evening. The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office says that the searches were carried out at the request of the French Judicial Authorities that are currently investigating the suspected financing of terrorism.
The Federal Public Prosecutor’s office told the press agency Belga that "Last night at the request of the French Judicial Authorities premises were searched in the Denderleeuw area. The search was led by an Examining Magistrate from Charleroi and was at the behest of a third country. The aim was to gather possible evidence of the financing of terrorism. Officers from the Federal Police Service took part in the operation. Given that Belgium was acting at the request of another country it is up to the Judicial Authorities in that country to decide whether or not they wish to give more information about this case. Consequently, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office will be giving no further information for the moment”.
The Kurdish organisation NavBel says that the studios of Sterk TV and Medya News were searched. These two Kurdish television channels broadcast from Denderleeuw, a municipality in East Flanders that is just over 20km northwest of Brussels.
NavBel says that those working at the tv stations were handcuffed and that a large amount of technical equipment and laptops were confiscated. It is not clear whether anyone was detained.