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Exiled Palestinian militant denies causing trouble in Cyprus, asks EU to take him in
AP-New Jersey Online ^ | Aug 7, 2002 | ALEX EFTY

Posted on 08/08/2002 10:45 AM Central by Prodigal Son

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) -- A senior Palestinian militant expelled by Israel and granted temporary shelter in Cyprus denied Wednesday he was causing trouble and said he wants the European Union to take him in as soon as possible.

Abdullah Daoud, 41, is considered the most dangerous of 13 Palestinians expelled May 10 and given temporary shelter in Cyprus under a deal to end a siege at one of Christianity's holiest sites, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

While the 12 Palestinians were resettled elsewhere in Europe after leaving Cyprus in late May, Daoud is waiting for an EU nation to take him in.

On Tuesday, Cyprus' Justice Minister Nikos Koshis said he wants Daoud to leave because he has refused to take police escorts or cooperate with police and was "associating with suspicious persons."

Daoud said he wasn't doing anything wrong.

"I have been cooperating fully with the police, who have become my good friends, and I have been respecting the law and the terms of my stay on the island fully," Daoud said in an interview with The Associated Press.

"I fully respect the demand not to become involved in any political activities here," he said. "I thank the government and the people of Cyprus for their hospitality. Causing trouble for them is the last thing in the world I want."

Daoud was the Palestinian Authority's intelligence chief in Bethlehem when Israeli forces entered the West Bank earlier this year. Israel accuses him of organizing attacks on Israelis, making explosives, smuggling weapons and providing shelter to members of terrorist groups.

Daoud rejected the allegations.

"It's all lies and Israeli propaganda. I have never killed anyone, and I am against the killing of civilians by either side," he said.

"I do not hate Israelis or the American people, life is too short to hate anyone," he said.

Wearing a white baseball cap, blue jeans and a polo shirt, he smiled often as he spoke.

He said the EU Middle East envoy, Miguel Moratinos, told him after the other Palestinians left in May that he would stay in Cyprus for "one or two weeks" until arrangements were made for him to leave as well.

"It seems Cyprus and I have the same problem. We both want the EU to fulfill their part of the agreement and to take me like the other 12, so that I may also be joined by my family," he said. Asked if he knew why the EU was delaying accepting him, he shook his head and shrugged.

He said he wanted to see his wife and two children, ages 6 and 12, who live in the West Bank town of Nablus.

"I want to be with them and I want an answer from the EU about my fate and an end to my temporary stay here," he said.

"He said he wanted to see his wife and two children, ages 6 and 12, who live in the West Bank town of Nablus."

I know of some guys who would like to help him out. All they need to do so are a few GPS coordinates......

Spain has one of these guys, also. They've restricted him to one of Franco's old and now very run down hunting lodges near Soria, and he complains that he's bored. He could be (should be!) dead, of course, but now he's actually making plans to bring his family to Spain. However, the Spanish aren't really happy about this. I feel sorry for the countries, like Spain and Cypress, that accepted these creeps. They're going to be a problem.

He shouldn't be "associating" with anyone, "suspicious or otherwise. At the very LEAST, he should be under house arrest, and this article should be all about him whining about his lack of freedom.

I can offer a suggestion of where he can go....