Australian woman arrested on terror charges in Turkey

It was alleged Aslan had been in contact with high-level members of the terror group and was arrested at Istanbul Airport trying to board a flight to Australia.

The 51-year-old Melbourne woman, who held an Australian passport under the name of Lenna Aslan, was reported to have appeared before a judge, the Daily Sabah reported. 

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to the woman detained in Turkey, a spokesman said. 

"Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment," he said.

The Kurdistan Workers' Party, which is committed to the creation of an independent Kurdish state in southeastern Turkey, Syria and Iraq, is a banned terrorist organisation in Turkey and also Australia.

Turkish media reported Aslan served as co-chair of a PKK-linked association in Australia and was involved in rallies in Australia to protest Turkey's operations against the group.