Turkey says mosque assaults on Cyprus received’t go ‘unanswered’

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated Monday that assaults on Muslim homes of worship on Cyprus would “not go unanswered” following experiences of an tried arson assault on a mosque on the southern, internationally-recognized Greek Cypriot a part of the divided Mediterranean island.
Turkey’s pro-government Daily Sabah newspaper stated a minimum of one suspect was detained following a Dec. 2 try to burn the Grand Mosque within the metropolis of Larnaca. No one was harm within the incident.
“Unfortunately, there was an (attempt) against our mosques in southern Cyprus. Of course, this operation in southern Cyprus, will not go unanswered,” Erdogan instructed reporters earlier than departing for Qatar on a two-day go to.

“This is what we are telling southern Cyprus: do not carry out such acts of sabotage against our houses of worship. The price you will have to pay for such acts of sabotage will be heavy,” he stated.
Cyprus cut up in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup by supporters of union with Greece. Turkey is the one nation to acknowledge a breakaway Turkish Cypriot state within the north of the island and doesn’t acknowledge Cyprus as a state.
A Cypriot regulation enforcement official stated authorities arrested a 27-year-old Syrian man in reference to the assault that triggered some injury to the mosque’s wood door earlier than fireplace crews put it out. He faces a cost of tried arson.
The official, who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of he wasn’t approved to debate the case publicly, stated the suspect’s motives are believed to stem from having his request to remain in a single day on the mosque rejected by the imam.
A witness instructed police the suspect used Greek-language newspapers as kindling to mild the fireplace.