Cyprian Government Spokesman Accuses Turkish Authorities Of Aiding And Abetting Chechen Terrorists

Official spokesman for the Cyprian government Michalis Papapetrou has accused Turkish authorities of aiding and abetting Chechen terrorists. Citing the example of Istanbul's Swissotel Bosphorus, where several dozen people were taken hostages by a Chechen gang, Papapetrou said that the action was apparently supported by certain circles of Ankara. Commenting on the incident in an exclusive RIA Novosti interview, Papapetrou stressed that the terrorist action ran counter to the norms of international law and had to be strongly condemned by the international community. "The Turkish government should come clean as far as Chechen terrorists are concerned," said the spokesman. "Any encouragement it might have offered could have prompted the terrorist sortie." As of today, according to Turkish sources, over 25,000 Chechens reside in Turkey. Also, the country houses around 80 Caucasian Islamic organisations, many of which side with Chechen militants.

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