Recent shootings in Mağusa - part of a "protection racket"?

[iancrumpy]

I have changed the title ... after all it's no longer "breaking news" ... the rest of post 1 has not been altered. Messages 2 and 3 below are "new".

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Source : http://www.haberkktc.com/haber/gazimagu ... 58916.html

I have just heard that for the second time in a month shots have been fired at the window of a butcher's shop in Mağusa, belonging to Mehmet Güder. Nobody was in the shop at the time.

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This is really upsetting for me: Havva and I have a flat in Mağusa, and Mehmet and his family live across the hall from us. Moreover, Havva and Mehmet's wife, Akile, are close friends.

There are as yet few details in the reports, but in the last shooting, a few weeks ago, three shots were fired at the shop minutes after Mehmet had closed up for the night.

Naturally the family, particularly Mehmet's mother-in-law, who by the way also lives in the same building, were very distraught following the first shooting. The family thought then the shooter was a previous employee with a grudge against Mehmet.

As I wrote, Havva and I are very close to this family

[Rambling Rose]

Ian: I just picked this up (must hav emissed it earlier having been diverted elsewhere).

I am so sorry to hear about this, and my sympathies go the family concerned, and to you and Havva Hanım.

I am sure you all will be shocked, not just by the attack on property, but the evidence of the increasing mindless violence and general ill feeling in hıtherto safe and frıendly country.

[iancrumpy]

My sympathies go the family concerned, and to you and Havva.

Thanks RR, but it gets even scarier According to Mehmet's sister-in-law it would appear to be some form of protection racket. For the record, Mehmet is a relatively successful businessman in Mağusa - indeed, besides the butcher's shop, he also owns a kebab shop and a barber shop on the "Larnaca Road" - yeah, I've often joked with Havva, that if Mehmet so wanted, he has all the shops necessary to a be successful real-life Sweeney Todd ... but that would be the complete antithesis of Mehmet, who has always seemed to me to be gentle, caring, family man. As you can guess, what with a wife and two children at school, these shootings/warnings are causing him and indeed the whole family a great deal of stress

By the way, protection rackets are unfortunately quite common in Eastern Turkey and amongst the (non-Cypriot) Turks (or should I say Turkish Kurds) in London. Up until now such practices have not been common place in Cyprus.

[iancrumpy]

Source : http://www.gundemkibris.com/guder-kasap ... 51118h.htm

Three men have just been arrested in relation to the shootings. As yet though, at least on the web sites I browse, there are no more details than that on these arrests.

I hope this means the family can sleep more soundly at night now.

[puppylover]

Glad to hear that arrests have been made Ian.

Very worrying for the family involved.

[Rambling Rose]

Thanks for the update Ian, we (the expats) really need to be aware of these problems.

I know several middle aged Cypriots such as your friend Mehmet seems to be , decent, caring business men and family men and true gentlemen with a kind of old fashioned gallentry, who are very concerned about the increasing violence and other less savoury external influences here and the effects on their families and traditonal lifestyle.

Such a shame that global vested interests have allowed this situation to develop.

I hope the family will soon be able to find their way back to a normal, happy life.

[iancrumpy]

Thanks for the update Ian, we (the expats) really need to be aware of these problems.
I know several middle aged Cypriots such as your friend Mehmet seems to be , decent, caring business men and family men and true gentlemen with a kind of old fashioned gallentry, who are very concerned about the increasing violence and other less savoury external influences here and the effects on their families and traditonal lifestyle.
Such a shame that global vested interests have allowed this situation to develop.
I hope the family will soon be able to find their way back to a normal, happy life.

Thanks Puppylover and RR for your comments and best wishes.

Havva is, this evening, with Mehmet's wife and mother-in-law. I can't tell you everything about the case, but suffice to say the three arrested were mainlanders and, yes, the shootings were warnings because Mehmet wasn't complying with offers of "protection"... however the three suspects are denying all knowledge of the shootings.

Apparently the police arrested these three men, because of a disguise hat and spectacles left outside Mehmet's shop after the second shooting. When it was realised that only Mr Pound sold these items, the cameras of the Mr Pound in Magusa were checked ... and these three individuals were seen buying those items. Although the police couldn't find a gun, they did find traces of gun-powder (or whatever barut is) in a flat where one of the men was residing. Mehmet's shop also had cameras, and this film has been sent to Ankara for closer inspection.

Unfortunately though, the police don't have enough evidence to keep the suspects in custody. Indeed it is likely they will have to release the men in a few days.