Nine charged over links to banned Turkish group detained pending trial

A Greek court on Monday ordered the detention of nine Turkish citizens pending trial for terrorism-related offences, including links to a banned militant group behind a series of suicide bombings in Turkey.

Greek police arrested the eight men and one woman in dawn raids in central Athens last week. Officials say there is no link between the arrests and a planned state visit by President Tayyip Erdogan to Greece, the first by a Turkish head of state in 65 years, on December 7-8.

Greek police are investigating the suspects' alleged links to the leftist DHKP/C, a far-left group blamed for a string of attacks and suicide bombings in Turkey since 1990.

The nine suspects have been charged with setting up and belonging to a criminal organization, terrorist-related acts of supplying explosive materials, and with illegal possession of firearms, smoke bombs and...