By empty (2/1/2003 issue of the CACI Analyst)
The investigations department of the National Security Ministry has asked the editors of the opposition newspapers \"Hurriyet\" and \"Yeni Musavat\" to provide evidence to substantiate their repeated claims that the Kurdistan Workers\' Party (PKK) maintains an extensive network in Azerbaijan. The statement warned that either withholding information that could contribute to preventing crime or making false allegations that result in the waste of money on fruitless investigations would constitute a criminal offense. \"Yeni Musavat\" Editor Rauf Arifoglu told Turan he has already provided the ministry with materials about the PKK presence in the town of Sumgait.
The investigations department of the National Security Ministry has asked the editors of the opposition newspapers \"Hurriyet\" and \"Yeni Musavat\" to provide evidence to substantiate their repeated claims that the Kurdistan Workers\' Party (PKK) maintains an extensive network in Azerbaijan. The statement warned that either withholding information that could contribute to preventing crime or making false allegations that result in the waste of money on fruitless investigations would constitute a criminal offense. \"Yeni Musavat\" Editor Rauf Arifoglu told Turan he has already provided the ministry with materials about the PKK presence in the town of Sumgait. On 1 February, zerkalo.az reported that Umid party leader Iqbal Agazade has asked Turkish intelligence to provide a copy of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan\'s trial testimony, in which he gave details of the alleged PKK presence in Azerbaijan. Agazade has also asked Turkey\'s ruling Justice and Development Party to make available the materials that prompted its leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to raise the issue of the PKK presence in Azerbaijan during talks in Baku last month. (Turan)