Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 96-08-24

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CONTENTS

[01] Confirmation of Turkish extremists involvement in incidents

1415:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Confirmation of Turkish extremists involvement in incidents

The confirmation of the presence of Turkish extremists in Cyprus came from the president of Turkish nationalist organisations, Azmi Karamahmutoglu, in an interview with Turkish magazine ''Tempo'', carried by Turkish Cypriot newspaper ''Ortam'' today.

Karamahmutoglu claimed that the Turkish nationalists acted on their own free will and did not receive instructions from anyone.

He said about three thousand people came from Turkey, including members of the extremist organisation ''Grey Wolves'' and they had hid in areas where they expected Greek Cypriot the demonstrators to attempt to cross the UN buffer zone into Turkish occupied part of the Republic.

The Turkish nationalist added they came to Cyprus to be in the frontline, because the Greek Cypriot's aim was, as he claimed, to show the west they were attacked by Turkish soldiers.

The ride, organised by the Cyprus Motorcyclists Federation and supported by the European Federation, had began from Berlin on August 2 and was to end in Turkish occupied Kyrenia.

Even though the ride was cancelled groups of Greek Cypriots carried on with demonstrations and tried entering the occupied parts in various areas.

The worst incidents occurred in Dherynia, in the east of the island, where the unarmed demonstrators faced a mob of Turkish extremists who lynched them with wooden sticks, iron bars and stones. Shots were also fired.

A 24 year-old Greek Cypriot, Tasos Isaac was beaten to death.

Three days later, another Greek Cypriot, 26 year-old Solomos Solomou was shot while trying to lower the Turkish flag in a peaceful demonstration after Isaac's funeral.

On this demonstration the Greek Cypriots came face to face with armed Turkish troops occupying Cyprus since Turkey's invasion of 1974.

According to Attorney General Alecos Markides there is reasonable suspicion that a Turkish officer was to blame for Solomou's murder.

CNA MCH/MA/1996

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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