by halil » Wed Dec 22, 2010 1:02 pm
Good afternoon all.............we had shocking news ones again ........ Shocking news only helps to spread butter and jam on the fanatics bread.
The Turkish people once again have become the target of Greek Cypriot fanaticism. Players of the Turkish basketball team Pınar Karşıyaka- a leading team in Group G in the Europe Regional Challenge Cup (FIBA)- were attacked by supporters of the Greek Cypriot APOEL basketball team, at the end of the game played in South Cyprus last night.
The manager of the Pınar Karşıyaka team Nihat Mala was injured in the attack.
Mr. Mala said the team was attacked by Greek Cypriot supporters at the end of the match with sticks and stones and that the attack continued in the corridors leading to the changing room.
Mala was quoted as saying that a gas bomb was also thrown at them as they retreated to the changing rooms.
Diplomatic sources said that the Turkish Foreign Ministry officials and Turkish Ambassador to North Nicosia Kaya Türkmen immediately contacted the United Nations Peace keeping Force in Cyprus in order to secure the safety of the Turkish players.
The players were then transported to their hotel under police escort.
Tight security measures were taken at the hotel, following an instruction by the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Speaking on the incident to the Anatolian News Agency, the Turkish Minister of state and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bağış said more than a thousand security officers were deployed around the hotel after he and Minister of State Faruk Özak contacted Greek Cypriot authorities.