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FGT · Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 762 Location: Turkey

A Canadian friend who has property in Ayvalik was attacked in Istanbul on Tuesday morning.

The attack occured whilst he was travelling alone on the ferry from Harem across the Bosphorus. He was en route to Canada with luggage so would have looked like a tourist.

Apparently, he accepted an offer of tea on the ferry which was drugged. He was then robbed, beaten up and thrown in the water, which sounds like overkill and could easily have led to his death.

Luckily he was seen in the water and rescued, by the evening he was able to recall his wife's telephone number in Ayvalik and she is now with him in Istanbul.

Further details will be added when I know them. In the meantime be careful and think twice before accepting tea from strangers.

I find this shocking not only because I am concerned for my friend's well-being, but also because I have been conducting a love affair with this country for more than 30 years and it distresses me to think that people are corrupting its nature in this way. Turkish hospitality has always been seen as a positive but if we now can't accept a tea from a stranger, these are sad times indeed.

howmucharefags · Joined: 30 Nov 2004 Posts: 299 Location: Eskisehir

But the same could have happened anywhere. Don't forget that. People seemed to be shocked easier when something unfortunate happens while they're living here. I still don't get that. In my home city of Glasgow you are at least twice more likely to get robbed or murdered than in any other European city. At least that's what the statistics say. Don't worry about these Turks. They're all bark and no bite and just make sure you keep a chib handy. I can imagine a Canadian with luggage at 12 o'clock in the evening trying to get a bus home from Glasgow city centre. I would estimate his survival time at around 15 mins. Istanbul is a walk in the park.

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/hi/news/5021432.html

bigbadsuzie · Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 5:39 am Post subject:

Most defintely, in all the time I've been here I have never felt threatened or wary about my surroundings. Sorry to hear about your friend Fgt, but Istanbul is the one place where you need to be more aware . I hope your friend does not paint the whole country black because of his unfortunate experience,perhaps they thought he was an American and therefore fair game ,just a theory !

FGT · Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 762 Location: Turkey

Thanks, Sue. I don't think he'll bad mouth the place, I just fear he'll reconsider spending time here and I don't like hearing bad things about MY country. I also suspect he was mistaken for an USian.

Sheikh Inal Ovar · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 1208 Location: Melo Drama School

TeachEnglish · Joined: 09 Feb 2005 Posts: 239

Oh boy..here we go again.. I guess most of you are missing the point.. This was an alert. Yes crime happens all over the world.. but we are not all over the world. I don't give a rats behind what happens in Glasgow, LA, Paris or any other crime infested place. We are in Istanbul and crime happens here more than most of you like to admit and we should be alerted. This is the first time I have heard this news and I appreciate someone making the alert. You know it is easy to mistake anyone for a US citizen because the US is made up of people from all over the world and that is not even the point.. The problem is he had luggage and some low life thought he was a tourist and wanted his things. Some people are too stupid to see the forest for the trees. Wake up.. pass the information on too anyone and everyone.. People have to know they can never let their guard down here..and of course.. don't talk to strangers or accept anything from them. Thanks again for the alert. I hope your friend is doing ok and will not be too emotionally scarred by this unfortunate incident. Peace

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

What hellhole are you working in now teachEnglish?

TeachEnglish · Joined: 09 Feb 2005 Posts: 239

I am in Istanbul... that is why I am happy to be alerted about this latest crime against one of us.. foreigners..

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

As long as you are enjoying yourself-that is the main thing.

tararu · Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 494

There at least a few cases of this kind of thing every year. I haven't heard of one so nasty, though.

FGT · Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 762 Location: Turkey

The attack and tea spiking took place not on the ferry as we supposed, but in Eminonu, in a shop (don't know what sort). He's in hospital until at least Monday, the Canadian consulate is aware and presumably will put pressure on the police to conduct a full investigation.

This thread is intended as a warning to others of what seems to me to be a new and worrying event which is probably not an isolated incident. Had he drowned (or perhaps as others already have), would there be any evidence of any crime having been committed? When he was first found he was thought to be drunk. Assuming the drug administered was Rohypnol (or similar) it is notoriously difficult to trace after a short time in the system. How many people have already died?

Be careful out there!

TeachEnglish · Joined: 09 Feb 2005 Posts: 239

Wow..that is sad.. Sometimes even I get shocked at some of these stories.. Why did he have to be thrown into the water after he was drugged and robbed..?