Briton held in Turkey terror raid

Image copyright Joe Robinson

A British man has been arrested as part of an anti-terror operation while on holiday in Turkey, the BBC has learned.

Ex-soldier Joe Robinson, from Leeds, is understood to be accused of sharing material on social media from his time in Syria with Kurdish militia the YPG.

Mr Robinson, 24, his Bulgarian fiance Mira Rojkan, and her mother Veselina, were detained in a police raid at the resort of Didim, western Turkey.

The Foreign Office said it has requested consular access.

The group's mobile phones, computer and other digital devices were seized by police.

Ms Rojkan and her mother have now been released but friends told the BBC Mr Robinson remains under arrest and will appear in court on Monday.

'Want my son home'

Mr Robinson, who is originally from Lancashire, spent five months fighting as a volunteer with the YPG against the so-called Islamic State group and has previously spoken about his experiences in media reports.

Although the YPG is not a proscribed group in the UK, Turkey views it as the extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

According to reports in Turkish media, the police operation was carried out against the PKK.

Speaking to the BBC, Joe Robinson's mother Sharon Chimejczuk said: "I just want my son home safe".

"He has done nothing but help innocent civilians. His whole family are concerned for his wellbeing and urge the British authorities to help bring him home."

Image copyright Joe Robinson Image caption Mr Robinson spent five months with the Kurdish military unit, the YPG

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We are aware of the detention of a British national in Turkey and have requested consular access."

Mark Campbell from the Kurdistan Solidarity Campaign said: "Unfortunately, Joe has gone on holiday to Turkey not realising the kind of state it has now become.

"Turkey continues to criminalise the Kurdish question and has jailed tens of thousands of Kurdish people, including elected MPs and mayors, simply for peacefully campaigning for Kurdish rights."

from BBC News - World http://ift.tt/2w7DGJp