Tuesday, August 06, 2002

But, but, but...I thought they were only misunderstood men who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time and were caught up in the haevy-handed Israeli actions. Apparently Cyprus is not happy with the first hand experience they have had with a Palestinian terrorist. Abdullah Daoud refuses to abide by any of the conditions that he agreed to (hmm....sound familiar?) in accepting exile after the standoff when he and his compatriots occupied (in contravention of the International Law) the Church of the Nativity. And now Cyprus wants him out.

``Daoud has become undesirable as he is causing trouble with the authorities, refusing to cooperate with the police and by associating with suspicious persons,'' Justice Minister Nikos Koshis told the official Cyprus radio.

``Daoud refuses to conform to the terms of his residence in Cyprus, he rejects police protection or escort, he moves around without informing the authorities and generally creates trouble,'' Koshis said.

Cypriot Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides told reporters Tuesday that Cyprus had allowed Daoud to stay temporarily ``as a guest'' on condition he accepted police protection and abstained from political activity.

``If he continues to violate these conditions the police may be forced to take action and treat him like an illegal immigrant instead of as a guest, and restrict his movements,'' Cassoulides said.

``He is very unhappy and frustrated because he is still in Cyprus without his family, while the other 12 Palestinians who were accepted by European countries have been joined by their families and are leading normal lives,'' Abdo said.

That's too bad. The thousands of Israelis who are missing loved ones never to return as a result of murders orchestrated by Daoud are, no doubt, moved by his plight.

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