Recently in Cyprus Category

Hizballah's founder Hassan Nasrallah has said, "If they (Jews) all gather in Israel, it will save us the trouble of going after them worldwide." Looks as if he is going hunting.

Hizballah is “the most dynamic political and social organization in Lebanon.” -- Reza Aslan

"Cyprus jails Hezbollah operative for Israel attacks plot," from the BBC, March 28 (thanks to all who sent this in):

A Cypriot court has jailed a member of the Lebanese militant Shia movement Hezbollah for three years for plotting to attack Israeli targets there.

Hossam Taleb Yaccoub, a Lebanese Swedish national, admitted collecting information on Israeli tourists, but denied planning to attack them.

The court heard how Hezbollah paid him to carry out six missions since 2011.

Israel says Hezbollah has been behind a string of attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets around the world....

"A Lebanese man carrying a Saudi Arabian passport." This is, of course, the common way these would-be jihad terrorists are identified in the media, even though their nationality and passport status are irrelevant to their motivations for wanting to target anyone's interests. Their Islamic faith is never mentioned, and has to be surmised, even though it is the sole guiding factor leading them to want to commit mass murder. In this case, the target once again was to be those whom the Qur'an designates as the worst enemies of the Muslims: the Jews (5:82).

"Cyprus detains Lebanese terrorist suspected of targeting ‘Israeli interests,’" from the Times of Israel, July 14 (thanks to Joshua):

Cyprus authorities have detained a Lebanese man carrying a Saudi Arabian passport on suspicion of being involved in planning a terrorist attack on Israelis on the island, a police spokesman said Friday. He entered the country under the guise of a tourist.

The man is suspected of trying to blow up a plane or a bus carrying Israelis. He had allegedly obtained a list of Israelis in the area and had taken pictures of Israeli targets in the southern coastal town of Limassol, Israel Radio reported.

State radio CyBC quoted an unidentified senior police official as saying that “Israeli interests” were to be targeted. CyBC said the suspect was arrested a week ago. Spokesman Andreas Angelides confirmed that the police have “an individual in custody on possible charges pertaining to terrorism laws.”...

Will these Jewish "activists" be chanting the Islamic jihad battle-cry, "Khaybar, Khaybar, O Jews, the army of Muhammad will return," the way the "activists" on the last flotilla were doing?

"Activists set sail for Gaza from Cyprus," by Menelaos Hadjicostis for Associated Press, September 26 (thanks to JCB):

FAMAGUSTA, Cyprus - A boat carrying Jewish activists from Israel, Germany, the U.S. and Britain set sail on Sunday for Gaza, hoping to breach Israel's blockade there and deliver aid.

Richard Kuper, an organizer with the U.K. group Jews for Justice for Palestinians, said one goal is to show that not all Jews support Israeli policies toward Palestinians.

Kuper said the boat, which set sail from northern Cyprus flying a British flag, won't resist if Israeli authorities try to stop it....

Boat passenger Rami Elhanan, an Israeli whose daughter Smadar was killed in a suicide bombing at a shopping mall in Jerusalem in 1997, said it was his "moral duty" to act in support of Palestinians in Gaza because reconciliation was the surest path to peace.

"Those 1.5 million people in Gaza are victims exactly as I am," Elhanan, 60, said in an interview.

Other voyage organizers included the group European Jews for a Just Peace and the U.S.-based Jewish Voice for Peace.

The 33-foot (10-meter) catamaran Irene, carrying a total of nine passengers and crew members, set sail from the Turkish Cypriot north of the island because the Greek Cypriot south imposed a ban on all-Gaza-bound vessels in May, citing "vital interests."...

"Jewish communities around the world are not united in support of Israel," Kuper said in a telephone interview from London. "Israel's future peace is coming to terms quickly with the Palestinians."...

Which in practice would mean surrender to them, and acceptance of dhimmi status in an Islamic state.

In Cyprus in 1974. This is reminiscent of how CAIR and others have not hesitated to stoop even to fabricating "hate crimes." They want and need hate crimes against Muslims, because they can use them as weapons to intimidate people into remaining silent about the jihad threat.

"Retired general confesses to burning mosque to fire up public," from Today's Zaman, September 24 (thanks to M.):

A retired general who has recently been accused of having conducted an assassination attempt on the life of Turkey's eighth president, Turgut Özal, has inadvertently confessed that he ordered the burning of a mosque as part of psychological warfare operations in 1974.

In remarks published in the Haber Türk daily yesterday as part of an interview with Gen. Sabri Yirmibeşoğlu, who led the Special War Department in 1971 and also worked to mobilize civilian resistance during Turkey's military intervention on Cyprus in 1974, said: "In Special War, certain acts of sabotage are staged and blamed on the enemy to increase public resistance. We did this on Cyprus; we even burnt down a mosque." In response to the surprised correspondent's incredulous look the general said, "I am giving an example," in an attempt to clear things up. [...]

The confession brings to mind the Balyoz (Sledgehammer) coup plot, allegedly drafted by a clique in the military to undermine the government. Dozens of military officers were arrested, although most were later released during the investigation into the Sledgehammer document, which includes plans to bomb the Fatih and Beyazıt mosques and down a Turkish jet over the Aegean to fuel problems with Greece with the ultimate aim of discrediting the government.

When allegations regarding the Sledgehammer plan first arose after the document was leaked to the press earlier this year, then-Chief of General Staff Gen.İlker Başbuğ dismissed the accusations as nonsense. Başbuğ said a military whose troops are known for shouting "Allah Allah" as they attack the enemy could not possibly think of burning the house of God. However, Yirmibeşoğlu's revelation shows that this has actually been done before.

''Religious values should be respected in order the relations between the two sides to remain positive."

In Cyprus, since the Turkish occupation began:

* at least 55 churches have been converted into mosques
* another 50 churches and monasteries have been converted into stables, stores, hostels, museums, or have been demolished
* the cemeteries of at least 25 villages have been desecrated and destroyed
* innumerable icons, religious artifacts and all kinds of archaeological treasures have been stolen and smuggled abroad
* illegal excavations and smuggling of antiquities is openly taking place all the time with the involvement of the occupying forces
* all Greek place names contrary to all historical and cultural reason were converted into Turkish ones.

"Cyprus: Bar Construction in Mosque Infuriates Muslims," from ANSAmed, October 25 (thanks to Insubria):

(ANSAmed) - ANKARA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus's (KKTC) Directorate of Religious Affairs has applied to state offices in Greek Cyprus to stop the construction of a bar in the garden of the Hala Mosque in South Cyprus, which has resulted in criticism from Muslims living on the island, Today's Zaman reports. ''Religious values should be respected in order the relations between the two sides to remain positive'', the director of Religious Affairs in the KKTC, Yusuf Suicmez, said, underlining that it is very important for Muslims because the mosque, that lies on the shores of the Larnaca Salt Lake, reportedly houses the tomb of Umm Haram, the aunt of the Prophet Muhammad, making it the fourth holiest Muslim shrine after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem.

This report comes from a local UK paper, Wakefield Today: "Terror on plane" (thanks to Kemaste). They locked themselves in the bathroom and were banging on the walls. This is a strange story, but Islamic prayer, which one said was what he was doing, doesn't involve banging on walls.

A BUSINESSMAN from Wakefield was caught up in 9/11 panic on a flight from Cyprus when two Muslim passengers were arrested for suspicious behaviour.

Paul Teasdale said chaos erupted when the two men were hauled off by police in Larnaca on Sunday – the fourth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The 38-year-old, who runs his own electrics business, said the flight was minutes away from leaving when the incident happened.

He said: “We noticed two men in full Muslim dress get on the plane and one of them passed me to go to the toilet.

“He was in there for a while and eventually the stewardess knocked on the door to find out what he was doing. He told her he was praying.

“He then sat back down, but she must have smelt a rat because about 10 minutes later two policemen came on board to take them off. After that it was just pandemonium.”

Mr Teasdale, of Wood Lane, Overton, said after the men were removed some passengers refused to stay on board.

He added: “Women were crying and everyone was getting a bit excited. Then someone said ‘hang on a minute, it’s 9/11’. It sounds stupid now, but at the time we were thinking of our lives.”...

Sue Lister, spokeswoman for Excel Airways, said the men were taken off the plane as they were acting “anti-socially”. She said: “One of the men ran down to the rear toilet, one to the front. They locked themselves in and were banging on the walls. It was not normal behaviour. The decision was taken to offload them and the captain made the decision to delay the flight.”

Their ethnicity was not a factor, she said. She added: “Hopefully the passengers realise the reason for the decision.”

Ethnicity? Why should ethnicity have anything to do with it? We are facing an ideology, not an ethnicity.

The Greeks can't say they weren't warned. From the Zaman Daily Newspaper, with thanks to Anthony:

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey is not prepared to negotiate for anything other than full membership which may be proposed at the December 17th European Union (EU) leaders' summit.

The Prime Minister personally conveyed his concerns about the EU Term President the Netherlands's summit draft to the Dutch Minister for European Affairs saying: "We expect a clear date from the EU which will not allow for a possible second decision. We have done our part, now it is your turn."...

Erdogan noted in an interview with the French daily Le Monde yesterday that Turkey has met the Copenhagen Criteria and wants no other criteria. He emphasized that Turkey expects a clear formula regarding the start of negotiations. The Prime Minister also underlined that Turkey will not recognize the Greek Cypriot side just to start negotiations. Le Monde posed the following question: "You want to negotiate with the 25-member EU; doesn't this mean de facto recognition of Cyprus?" Erdogan said: "Absolutely, not" and explained that Turkey did whatever it could for a solution in Cyprus and said he thought the question was unfair. He said the EU made a mistake by accepting "Cyprus" and added Turkey will hold any assessments of this issue until the December 17th summit. When asked what Turkey will do if the EU stipulates new 'unacceptable' preconditions, Erdogan answered: "We do not see what kind of pretense the EU could use to propose new preconditions to us. We think that our expectations are objective and fair."

While the rhinoceri rush to prepare the way for Turkey's entrance into the EU, one non-rhinoceros has turned up in the US: Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), who has noticed that just as Turkey is about to join the democracies of the EU, it has passed an interesting new law: if you affirm the Armenian Genocide as a fact or dissent from Turkey's illegal occupation of northern Cyprus in the enlightened, secular land of Ataturk, you can get ten years in the slammer. Let them into the EU!

Here is Pallone's press release, with thanks to Looney Tunes:

Long Branch, NJ --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), co-chairman of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues and a member of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, today urged the State Department to strongly condemn a new penal code adopted by the Turkish Government late last month that would punish Turkish citizens or groups with up to ten years in prison if they confirm the fact of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey or call for the end of the Turkish occupation of Northern Cyprus.

In a letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell, the New Jersey congressman said that the new Section 306 of Turkey's criminal code not only hinders improved relations between the Republic of Armenia and Turkey, but it is also an imprudent step on the part of a nation that is desperately trying to establish an image of having a free and democratic society. Pallone wrote that Turkey's action represents a dramatic display of the Turkish government's campaign to deny the Armenian Genocide and further inhibit a resolution to the Turkish occupation of Northern Cyprus.

"Section 306 of the new criminal code does nothing to remove barriers to bilateral cooperation and lower the level of distrust and tension in this critically important region," Pallone wrote in his letter to Secretary Powell. "I urge you and the State Department to condemn this oppressive provision in the criminal code and do everything that is in your power to ensure that the government of Turkey, our NATO ally- cease to inhibit the rights of its citizens; remove its troops from Northern Cyprus; come to terms with its own history; and finally start living up to the expectations that the United States has of free and democratic nations."

Pallone voiced particular concern that Turkey's actions run counter to the goals the State Department strives to achieve in the Caucasus region. Far from coming to terms with the Genocide or reaching out to Armenia, Turkey, in adopting Section 306 of its new penal code, the New Jersey congressman wrote that Turkey is hardening its anti-Armenian stance and undermining hopes for a reduction of tensions in the region.

"I would like, for a moment, to discuss why I consider it important that the State Department not remain silent in the face of this extremely troubling restriction on freedom of expression mandated by a NATO ally," Pallone continued. "In the past, when the State Department has spoken out against an Armenian Genocide Resolution, it has argued that such legislation would not contribute to improved Turkish-Armenian relations. We have been told, recently and in the past, that the State Department and the Administration have fought so strenuously against this legislation, because its adoption would somehow harm progress in the region toward the normalization of ties between these two states.

"This line of reasoning is, in my view, deeply flawed," Pallone continued in his letter. "However, if the State Department were to seriously rely on this argument concerning improved Turkey-Armenia relations, it would stand to reason that the State Department should also publicly and privately condemn Turkey's patently hateful codification of its official campaign to deny the Armenian Genocide, the most recent attempt being in the form of a repressive and unjustified new criminal code."

Pallone also believes the Turkish Government's action toward Cyprus is not consistent with the State Department's own misguided belief that Turkey did everything possible to end the thirty-year illegal occupation of Cyprus when it supported a United Nation's plan that would have reunified the island nation. The New Jersey congressman believes Turkey's latest action proves the government in Turkey remains supportive of the continued illegal occupation of the northern end of Cyprus.

A press release from the American Hellenic Institute, condemning Turkey's ongoing illegal occupation of northern Cyprus, where Cypriot Christians were treated like dhimmis, expelled from their homes and given no recourse. (Thanks to sparta for sending this.)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Vivian Basdekis (202) 785-8430 July 20, 2004 No. 48/2004

Statement by the American Hellenic Institute Commemorating the
30-Year Anniversary of Turkey's Aggression Against Cyprus

Washington, DC-On July 20, 2004, the American Hellenic Institute issued the following statement commemorating the tragic 30-year anniversary of Turkey's aggression against Cyprus:

Today, July 20, marks the sad 30-year anniversary of Turkey's illegal invasion and illegal occupation of the sovereign country of Cyprus.

Thirty years ago Turkey invaded Cyprus with the illegal use of American arms and equipment, which resulted in the occupation of 4% of the Cypriot territory. The second massive phase of Turkish aggression against Cyprus came on August 14-16, 1974, three weeks after the legitimate government of Cyprus had returned to office on July 23. These aggressions were conducted by the Turkish military using hundreds of U.S. tanks, hundreds of U.S. airplanes and 35,000 ground troops, with the result being a land grab by Turkey of 37.3% of Cyprus and the forced leaving of 200,000 Greek Cypriots from their homes and properties.

Since 1974, U.S. policy on the Cyprus problem has been a foreign policy failure. For years the U.S. has favored Turkey regarding Cyprus, thereby disregarding its moral obligation and national security interests.

The latest example, in the form of the flawed Annan Plan, only serves to illustrate the support for Turkey regarding Cyprus.

The Annan Plan, engineered by Britain and the U.S., was a flawed document that did not go to the core of issues of unifying Cyprus and providing for a just and viable solution.

The disparity in the referenda vote, Greek Cypriots 76% against and Turkish Cypriots 65% in favor, further underscores, even to the uniformed observer, that this was not a document that was fair to both, but rather biased against one, the Greek Cypriots.

In examining various provisions of the plan the sharp bias towards Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots is clear. It actually wipes out, believe it or not, Turkey's aggression against Cyprus.

Incredibly, for our government to have helped draft and to support this plan and the ensuing undiplomatic attacks by our U.S. officials on the Greek Cypriots for their "no" vote is an embarrassment to our foreign policy.

In the final analysis the Greek Cypriots voted "no" against the Annan plan because it was unfair, unbalanced, unworkable, not financially viable and rewarded the aggressor, Turkey, and punished the victims, the Greek Cypriots. For the State Department to contend otherwise is Orwellian.

So, thirty years later, we still are commemorating the Cyprus problem. If the U.S. and the world community is serious about solving this problem solutions have to be pursued that are just and viable.

As Americans we need to keep reminding our policy makers and elected officials that in pursuit of U.S. interest and American values the U.S. should immediately call for the following:

a.. Full demilitarization of Cyprus by support of and implementation of the unanimous UNGA Res. 3212 of November 1, 1974 urging "the speedy withdrawal of all foreign armed forces and foreign military presence and personnel from the Republic of Cyprus and the cessation of all foreign interference in its affairs;" and calling "upon all states to respect the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity" of Cyprus;
b.. Support for a constitutional democracy for Cyprus "based on majority rule, the rule of law and the protection of minority rights;"
c.. Support for changes and modifications in the UN Annan Plan for Cyprus: (1) to make it fair, balanced, workable, financially viable and just; (2) to include the immediate demilitarization of Cyprus; (3) to provide for the prompt return to Turkey of the over 110,000 illegal settlers from Turkey with all costs to be borne by Turkey, the aggressor; (4) to call for the immediate tearing down by Turkey of the Green Line barbed wire fence; (5) to have a property recovery and compensation system paid for by the aggressor Turkey; and (6) to have the right of all Cypriots to buy property and live wherever they chose without being limited by ethnic quotas.

None of us wishes to commemorate 31 years next year.

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For additional information, please contact Vivian Basdekis at (202) 785-8430 or at vivian@ahiworld.org. For general information about the activities of AHI, please see our website at http://www.ahiworld.org.