Ruling Turkish party facing accusations

ANKARA, Turkey, March 15 (UPI) -- The AK Party, the ruling political group in Turkey, has been accused by the country's chief prosecutor of taking part in anti-secular activities.

Prosecutor Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya alleged the ruling party contravened the current secular constitution in Turkey and asked for a ban from the country's Constitutional Court, the BBC reported Saturday.

Yalcinkaya, chief prosecutor for the Court of Appeals, has asked that the political party be shut down and revealed the group has been investigated during the last six months.

The BBC said the accusations against the political group, which won Turkey's general elections in 2007, come as the party is already engaged in a major debate with top secular officials.

Members of the country's secular elite, along with top Turkish military officials, are against AKP officials' opposition to a headscarf ban.

AKP officials have argued the ban prevents women from having access to higher education due to the cultural prevalence of the traditional headscarf.