DETENTION BY TRNC OFFICIALS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00065R000100050044-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 26, 2012
• Sequence Number: 44
• Publication Date: April 21, 1987
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/26: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100050044-0
ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET
SUBJECT: (Optional)
FROM:
EXTENSION
NO.
FBIS-0097/87
Zng rec or, oreign
DATE
Broadcast Information Service
6 May 1987
TO: (Officer design/ion. room number, and
building)
DATE
OFFICER'S
COMMENTS (Number each comment to show horn whom
INITIALS
b whom. Draw o line across column after each comment.)
RKEnrED
FORWARDED
1. Deputy Director for
Science and Technology
Room 6E45, Headqu s
ormation. Here
2.
account of his
is
recent detention by Turkish Cypriot
police during his tourist trip
3?
through the area. I am sending
copies of it to C/CI Staff,
C/Cyprus Desk/DO, and C/RE$CD/OL.
4.
As our bureau chief,
opines -tne situation is now
history and concerned embassy
s
officers are satisfied that about
the only thingis really
guilty of is being incredibly
6
naive."
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
13.
R" 610
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/26: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100050044-0
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/26: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100050044-0
MEMORANDUM
T0: Chief, FBIS/Nicosia
SUBJECT: Detention by TRNC officials
FROM
DATE:
21 April 1987
The following is a detailed account of the events of which I informed
you when you phoned me at my hotel room at 9 o'clock of 17 April 1987.
At approximately 10:30 A.M. on Friday, 17 April 1987, while on a
visit to the Turkish-occupied portion of Cyprus (the Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus), I was detained at the village of Vatili (Vadili), near
Famagusta, until approximately 4:45 P.M. by police officials of the TRNC.
This detention occurred following a stop, en route to Famagusta, at the
nearby village of Lysi (Akdogan) to photograph a 14th century Gothic-style
cathedral.
My decision to stop at Lysi en route to Famagusta (via the "old"
Famagusta road) came about after I had discovered that one of only two
Gothic-style cathedrals in Cyprus was located there (the other being in
Famagusta). Asking the night receptionist at the Cleopatra Hotel on
Thursday night if he knew how to find this cathedral, he replied that a
friend of his named Dimetris (whom I had met previously) used to live in
the village prior to 1974 and would probably remember the way. When I
checked the next morning at reception, the night receptionist had left a
book (and a photocopy of a map on one of the book's pages) about the
history of Lysi in my key/letter box. On the photocopy, he had circled
the church and had also indicated where his old house and school had been
(asking, by writing at the bottom of the page, if I could take a picture
of these, also, while I was there).
Passing through the Ledra Palace check-point at about 8:30 A.M. on
Friday morning, I proceeded to drive to Famagusta via the "old" road which
would also take me through Lysi. On the way toward Lysi, I had to pass
through areas marked as military areas where photographs were not
allowed. One of these areas was near Lysi; but as there was a sign marked
"No Photographs" as one is driving toward Lysi, and similar sign a few
hundred yards further (prior to reaching Lysi) for travel away from Lysi,
I reasoned that the prohibited area must be between the two signs. This
was reinforced by the lack of any signs saying "No Photographs" when I
arrived at Lysi. As the cathedral would be the first point I would come
to upon entering the village, I drove directly to that point and parked in
an open area outside the cathedral. After nearly 15 minutes of
photographing the cathedral, during which time I was always completely out
in the open (as opposed to skulking about in a surreptitious manner), two
police officers arrived on the scene and enquired as to my "purpose in
Lysi". Stating that I was there to photograph the Gothic cathedral, they
informed me that I would have to accompany them to the police headquarters
(in the village of Vatili).
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/26: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100050044-0
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/26: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100050044-0
Upon arriving at the station, I was again questioned as to why I had
come to Lysi, and then as to what I planned to do with the photgraphs I
obtained in Lysi. My passport and driver's licence were taken from me at
this time; and I was also questioned as to the amount of money I might
have in my wallet, for some strange reason. I responded that, since
photography in general and photography of ancient buildings in particular
was my hobby, I had hoped rto obtain some of the Lysi cathedral. The
officers made a few telephone calls and then proceeded to make a search of
the vehicle and of my camera bag, where I had the map of Lysi as well as
maps of Cyprus (both Cyprppt.and Turkish versions since village names had
been changed) and diagram.s-.of other towns (which were given to me by
various people I had met during the course of my stay in Cyprus and who
had asked me to take a picture of their house for them if I ever passed
through their town). Most of these towns were near the "tourist" areas
(Famagusta, Kyrenia, etc.) and were circled on the maps, too. Directions
to a person's house were usually indicated in relation to the village
church, town square, an orchard, coffee shop, etc. Since I' could
understand a person's desire to see the house where he grew up and where
his family may have lived for 3 or more generations, obtaining a picture
of that house seemed a harmless gesture of goodwill that required little
effort.
At any rate, I was questioned about each map/diagram and the film in
my possession for the next 6 hours, while a clerk wrote down my responses
to their questions. I maintained a cooperative and honest, but not
gratuitous, attitude throughout. At the end of the affair, I was made to
sign the transcription and turn over my film to the officers. The maps,
as well as the book about the history of Lysi, were also taken from me.
My passport, driver's license, and camera gear were returned to me, and I
was told that I was free to go. At that point, I drove back to Nicosia
and to my hotel room (around 6:00 P.M.) to take a long, hot bath and to
eat a large dinner, since I had not had anything to eat or drink since 6
A.M. that morning.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/26: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100050044-0