CYPRUS: Extradition to Germany of ‘terror’ suspect underway

Cypriot authorities have begun extradition procedures against a detained Turkish national of Kurdish origin wanted in Germany for “terrorist activity”.

Cerkez Korkmaz was arrested trying to depart Cyprus for Athens on March 21 and later detained in police custody after Germany issued a European Arrest Warrant and deportation order to the Cypriot authorities.

It said the suspect was facing “criminal prosecution for terrorist action pending before a German court”.

The man appeared before a district court hearing in Larnaca on Tuesday where state prosecutor Theano Koumi presented the electronic message from authorities in Hamburg requesting the arrest of Korkmaz.

Prosecution asked for an adjournment as it was awaiting clarification from Germany regarding its classification of the Kurdistan Workers Party PKK group of which it says the suspect was a member.

Clarification is also sought from the Cypriot asylum service on the status of the suspect, since he was granted political refugee status some years ago and issued Cypriot travel documents.

Local law enforcement officials were quoted in the Cypriot media saying the 60-year-old suspect was detained in connection with crimes committed in Germany between 2013 and 2015.

The court agreed to adjourn proceedings – held under tight police security – until April 10.

There was a small group of protesters outside the Larnaca court that gathered in support of the suspect.

"We are here to support Cerkez Korkmaz. We believe that what the Cypriot government is doing is unacceptable,” Cyprus Green MP George Perdikis told reporters

 "He has a Cypriot passport and taken the status of a political refugee, and we believe that this process is a blatant violation of the human rights of a militant who did nothing more than ask for the freedom of his people," he added.

Cyprus says it has 60 days to extradite the suspect to Germany from the time of his arrest.