Two held after arson attack on Turkish Cypriot’s car

TWO MEN are being held on suspicion of setting fire to a car belonging to a Turkish Cypriot in the mixed Nicosia district village of Potamia.

Police told a court yesterday that the Greek Cypriot suspects, one aged 24 and the other 27, had admitted to burning the car of Turkish Cypriot Mehmet Sami Ousta as it was parked in Potamia.

The two allegedly told police they had personal differences with Ousta – who confirmed this – and that they had torched his car for revenge.

Police insisted the incident was not a racist one.

The two suspects were remanded in custody for eight days.

The fire broke out at 1.20am. Witnesses saw two men riding away from the scene on a powerful motorbike with no number plates.

They immediately alerted police, who tracked down the bike 20 minutes later on the Nicosia-Limassol highway at the Tseri turnoff, and arrested the riders.

Ousta’s car suffered extensive damage in the fire.

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