While referring to "members of terrorist organisations" in general, the legislation is aimed mainly at an estimated over 4,500 PKK rebels believed to have taken refuge across the border in northern Iraq following the ceasefire declared in September 1999 on the orders of the party's leader, Abdullah Ocalan, who was captured in Kenya the same year.
Iako se generalno odnosi na «članove terorističkih organizacija», zakon je uglavnom usmeren na preko 4.500 pobunjenika iz PKK za koje se smatra da su potražili utočište preko granice u severnom Iraku, nakon primirja proglasenog 1999. godine po naređenju lidera partije, Abdulaha Odžalana, koji je iste godine uhapšen u Keniji.