Use of kidnapping and extortion as a tool for financing terrorism: the case of the PKK

This qualitative study focuses on the use of extortion and kidnapping for ransom as sources of financing terrorism by the Kurdistan Worker's Party, which is popularly known by its acronym 'PKK'. Using in-depth interviews with kidnapped businesspeople as its primary method, this study investigates extortion/kidnapping incidents committed by the PKK as the group's primary mode of operation. The rationale of kidnapped/extorted businesspeople for accepting to pay a ransom, its impacts on businesses, and the Turkish government's ineffective protection of the business people in the PKK terror zone in the Southeast of Turkey are examined. Our findings show that most business people/companies in the terror region in Turkey accept paying a ransom to continue their businesses. It was also found that businesspeople denied their kidnap after their releases by the PKK to avoid negative public image.