Terror Exiles Having A Blast
May 11, 2002
BY THE BEAUTIFUL SEA: The Flamingo Beach Hotel in Cyprus is playing host to 13 terrorists who left the filthy confines of the Church of the Nativity yesterday.
LARNACA, Cyprus - A group of the most-wanted Palestinian militants traded the packed and filthy confines of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity yesterday for a three-star tourist hotel on the Mediterranean seafront.
For the time being, the 13 "senior terrorists," as Israeli officials call them, have exchanged the stony floor of the church for six $70-a-night twin rooms with satellite TV, air conditioning and private baths and showers.
After eating grass, leaves and scant food reserves in the church - under the watch of Israeli snipers - their first meal here was fried cod, a choice of french fries or rice and a salad of olives, tomatoes, lettuce and feta cheese.
Officials said only registered guests were allowed into the Flamingo Beach Hotel, on Larnaca's Makenzie Beach, but otherwise matters were normal.
"All the 64 rooms of the hotel are full and our guests are a bit excited, but they are taking events in their stride," said the hotel manager, Antonis Josephides.
Most of the guests in the fully booked hotel are Russians, Belgians or Arabs from the Gulf. No Americans or Israelis are now staying in it.
The exiled militants who are there include:
Mohammed Said, who dispatched homicide bombers to Jerusalem in March; Jihad Jaara, who has been involved in several shooting attacks on Israelis; and Nidal Abu Galif, who made explosives and organized homicide bombings.
The 13 bearded Palestinians, wearing black-and-white keffiyeh head scarves or black caps, occupy the entire third floor of the six-story building, but are not allowed access to the heated rooftop pool or nearby public beach.
In fact, the only time they will be allowed out of their rooms is for communal meals in a segregated area of the hotel mezzanine.
Authorities also said the suspects would have no access to books, newspapers or other printed matter, and no alcohol.
Their visitors would be limited to dignitaries such as the European Union ambassador and Palestinian diplomats.
"We are very thankful to the Cyprus government for their hospitality," said PLO ambassador Samir Abu Ghazaleh, who visited the suspects about 30 minutes after they checked in.
The suspects are expected to be separated into groups sent to as many as six different nations next week - and remain in exile under the terms of the Bethlehem deal.
But Ghazaleh said, "Their morale is very high and they strongly believe they will be able to go back to their homeland as soon as possible."
Cypriot officials insist the 13 are being treated as guests and not prisoners - but armed paramilitary men patrolled the outside of the hotel in 80-degree temperatures.
Members of a special anti-terror unit were also in the vicinity, and plain-clothed agents mingled inside. Armed agents also pa- trolled the terrorists' floor.
The suspects' fellow guests seemed curious about the attention - from the more than 30 reporters and cameraman yesterday - than frightened.
"When I planned my vacation, I never thought I'd be under the same roof as terrorists," said one Russian guest, who gave his name only as Vladimir.
The crew of thugs arrived in Cyprus after a 400-mile flight - aboard a British Hercules military transport jet - and were whisked to their new home in a small bus by black-clad riot police.
One of the gunmen was hospitalized in Larnaca with a broken leg, but the other 12 were brought to the hotel - escorted by gun-toting guards.
By CHARLES CHARALAMBOUS
http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/16016.htm