Editing Kurdistan Workers' Party (section)

===Reported links with Turkish intelligence===
During the controversial [[Ergenekon trials]] in Turkey, allegations have been made that the PKK was linked to elements of the Turkish intelligence community.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://mezopotamyaajansi35.com/tum-haberler/content/view/136361|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230716054728/http://mezopotamyaajansi35.com/tum-haberler/content/view/136361|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 July 2023|title=Ecevit Kılıç: Derin devleti var eden Kürt korkusudur|website=mezopotamyaajansi35.com}}</ref>

[[Şamil Tayyar]], author and member of the ruling [[Justice and Development Party (Turkey)|AK Party]], said that Öcalan was released in 1972 after just three months' detention on the initiative of the [[National Intelligence Organization (Turkey)|National Intelligence Organization]] (Millî İstihbarat Teşkilatı, MİT), and that his 1979 escape to Syria was aided by elements in MİT.<ref>[[Today's Zaman]], 18 October 2011, [http://todayszaman.com/news-260285-tayyars-new-book-reveals-pkks-ties-with-turkish-intelligence.html Tayyar's new book reveals PKK's ties with Turkish intelligence] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111019153652/http://www.todayszaman.com/news-260285-tayyars-new-book-reveals-pkks-ties-with-turkish-intelligence.html |date=19 October 2011 }}</ref> Öcalan has admitted making use of money given by the MIT to the PKK, which he says was provided as part of MIT efforts to control him.<ref>[[Today's Zaman]], 8 November 2008, [http://www.todayszaman.com/newsDetail_getNewsById.action?load=detay&link=158166 Tenth hearing of Ergenekon trial held yesterday] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610203020/http://www.todayszaman.com/newsDetail_getNewsById.action?load=detay&link=158166|date=10 June 2015}}</ref>

Former police special forces member [[Ayhan Çarkın]] said that the state, using the clandestine [[Ergenekon (allegation)|Ergenekon network]], colluded with militant groups such as the PKK, [[Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front|Dev-Sol]] and [[Turkish Hezbollah]], with the goal of profiting from the war.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://arsiv.sabah.com.tr/2008/10/22/haber,3F335AA5F18446E4AB40F3A91AB3BB88.html|access-date=8 January 2009|title=Çarkın'ın itiraflarına soruşturma|date=22 October 2008|first=Ecevit|last=Kilic|work=Sabah|language=tr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191106062246/http://arsiv.sabah.com.tr/2008/10/22/haber,3F335AA5F18446E4AB40F3A91AB3BB88.html|archive-date=6 November 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[secret witness]] "First Step" testified that General [[Levent Ersöz]], former head of [[Gendarmerie Intelligence Organization|JITEM]], had frequent contact with PKK commander [[Cemîl Bayik]].<ref>[[Today's Zaman]], 22 August 2009, [http://www.todayszaman.com/news-184721-ersoz-and-pkks-bayik-kept-in-touch.html Ersöz and PKK's Bayık kept in touch] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201214002/http://www.todayszaman.com/news-184721-ersoz-and-pkks-bayik-kept-in-touch.html|date=1 February 2014}}</ref>