The lawyer for Hasan Adir told the Dutch media that his client was picked up as he tried to cross the border near Venlo, Holland, just over the border from Germany, in January. An extradition hearing is set for March 18, he said.

Turkish authorities believe Adir, who lives in Germany, is a leading member of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK. The separatist party is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union, and the United States.

Plan to protest

The arrest took place on January 19, Adir's lawyer Bart Nooitgedacht told Germany's dpa news agency. Now, Ankara has requested his extradition to Turkey. The Dutch Justice Ministry confirmed the arrest and the date of the extradition hearing.

Nooitgedacht said his client would fight any move to extratdite him, due to fears that he would be tortured or killed in Turkey. He claims Turkish officials tortured him in the past and that he fled to Germany after several of his relatives were killed.

Nooitgedacht also said Germany had effectively acknowledged that his client's fears were legitimate and thus had refused to extradite him.

"A German court has already established my client runs the risk of being tortured. Turkey considers him to be a state risk and as someone who can provide information about a terrorist organization," Nooitgedacht said.

jen/dpa/AP/Reuters
Editor: Chuck Penfold