Police in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus arrested a Turkish Cypriot for espionage yesterday. Mehmet Besimoğlu was taking photos of military units in Gazimağusa (Famagusta for Greek Cypriots) when police captured him. In his first testimony, Besimoğlu confessed that he was taking the photos for an unidentified Greek Cypriot suspect.
Police are now examining the cellphones, laptops and digital cameras that were found in Besimoğlu's residence for further evidence.
The island of Cyprus has been divided between Turkish and Greek Cypriots since 1974 when a Greek Cypriot coup took place after decades of violence against the island's Turkish community, leading to Ankara's intervention as a guarantor power. It has seen an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including the latest initiative in Switzerland - under the auspices of guarantor countries Turkey, Greece and the U.K. - that collapsed in 2017.
