Press Releases

US And Turkey Host International Anti-Terror Roundtable In Istanbul

Ankara, January 26, 2007.

On January 25-26, 2007, the Ministry of Justice of Turkey and the US Department of Justice co-hosted a roundtable meeting in Istanbul between international experts in the area of prosecuting crimes related to the PKK, anti-terrorism, and international cooperation.

The roundtable meeting was the first of several joint efforts between the Ministries of Justice of the US and Turkey aimed at bridging the gaps between different legal systems and common goals in the judicial arena of the war on terror. Participants exchanged ideas and experiences and practical applications in fighting terrorist organizations through a variety of legislative means.

Turkish participants included senior prosecutors from throughout Turkey who deal with organized crime and terrorism as well as senior judges from the Ministry of Justice in Ankara. High level anti-terrorism prosecutors from the UK, the Netherlands, and France provided valuable exchanges regarding the challenges and solutions in prosecuting global terrorist organizations.

The US and Turkish Ministries of Justice have planned a series of interactive workshops and events throughout 2007 that will address various aspects of anti-money laundering, terrorist financing, the PKK, and international cooperation in criminal investigations.