LEFKOSA
Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Huseyin Ozgurgun on Tuesday condemned the arson attack on the Koprulu Haci Ibrahim Aga Mosque in Limassol, Greek Cypriot administration.
In a written statement released Tuesday, Ozgurgun said that racism and intolerance in the Greek Cypriot administration reached a serious dimension.
We condemn the arson attack on the mosque by Greek Cypriot fanatics on April 13, Ozgurgun noted.
The Greek Cypriot leadership must arrest those responsible for the attack and try them in a court of law. We expect the Greek Cypriot leadership to protect religious and historic sites, Ozgurgun said.
In the event this incident is not investigated, the Greek Cypriot would be directly responsible for future attacks on Turkish-Muslim values, Ozgurgun also said.
A group of Greek Cypriot young people tried to set the Koprulu Haci Ibrahim Aga Mosque on fire by pouring gasoline on Friday night. The mosque's door, wooden porch and window were burnt, while the carpets inside were blackened by the soot from the fire. An epitaph from the Ottoman era fell on the ground and broke.
