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Kurdish rebel leader sheds light on days as fugitive

   ANKARA, Feb 28 (AFP) - Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan has  
shed light on his time as a fugitive, seeking asylum in countries
across Europe, before his capture by a Turkish commando, the Turkish
press reported Sunday.
   Ocalan, leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), was forced 
out of his long-term base in Syria on October 9 as Damascus bowed to
military threats from Ankara.
   Turkey had long sought Ocalan's arrest on treason charges linked 
to the PKK's 15-year armed struggle for a Kurdish homeland in
southeastern Turkey.
   Ocalan was finally snatched by a Turkish commando on February 15 
in Kenya as he travelled to the airport after spending 12 days
sheltering in the Greek ambassador's residence in Nairobi.
   He was flown back to Turkey where he is awaiting trial on the 
prison island of Imrali in the Marmara Sea. If found guilty, he
could face the death penalty.
   Ocalan's capture followed a desperate journey across Europe 
which included arrest in Italy and an odyssey aboard a private plane
turned away from airport after airport -- as Turkey upped pressure
on European leaders to return the fugitive to Ankara.
   From Syria, Ocalan boarded a plane for Greece, the Turkish press 
reported, adding Ocalan claims he was treated badly by Greek
authorities and forced out of the country.
   Arriving in Moscow, Ocalan was aided by ultra-nationalist deputy 
Vladimir Zhirinovsky. But after 33 days he was forced to leave due
to pressure from Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov, the press
reported.
   Ocalan fled to Italy, where he was arrested at Rome airport in 
November by police acting on international warrants.
   But Italy refused to extradite Ocalan as he could face the death 
penalty if returned to Turkey. The move sparked a bitter diplomatic
row between Rome and Ankara and led to a boycott of Italian goods in
Turkey.
   Germany, meanwhile, which had also issued a warrant for Ocalan's 
arrest, refused to demand his extradition amid fears over the
reaction of its own large Turkish and Kurdish populations.
   An Italian court ruled Ocalan was free to go -- but Italian 
authorities made it clear he was not welcome to stay in the country,
Ocalan was quoted as saying. He was escorted to Rome airport on
January 16 and left on board a private plane.
   Ocalan said he returned to Moscow but was denied permission to 
stay.
   Earlier reports said his plane was also denied permission to 
land in the Netherlands and in several other European countries.
   He then flew back to Greece, after being assured by two secret 
service agents he would be given shelter, the Turkish press
reported.
   Instead, Ocalan said he was taken to Minsk where he waited four 
hours for a flight overnight January 31 before returning to Greece a
third time.
   "I was taken on February 2 to Nairobi after Greece and other 
European countries refused to have me," Ocalan said.
   Greek embassy officials promised him a passport and safe passage 
to South Africa. "But they did not keep their promise," he said.
   "I was in a car belonging to a Kenyan official and the Greek 
ambassador was accompanying me in a second car. On the way to the
airport I realised what had happened to me," he said, refering to
his capture.
   Ocalan's capture caused a wave of protests, some violent, across 
Europe as Kurds stormed Greek and Kenyan embassies demanding his
release.
   Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis is fighting for his 
political survival after sacking three ministers over the Ocalan
affair.
   Political leaders and human rights groups, meanwhile, fear 
Turkey will not grant Ocalan a fair trial.
   On Sunday, Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema added his 
voice to those calling for justice, saying: "We are against
terrorism and for Turkish territorial integrity, but we will not
give up our support for democratic principles."
    

 

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