Cyprus Police Suspect Woman Filed Bogus Gang-rape Claim against Israelis

Cyprus police have arrested a 19-year-old British woman on suspicion of filing a false complaint of gang rape for which a dozen Israeli teenagers were detained as suspects, Reuters reported, citing two police sources. “Rape never took place,” one of the anonymous sources told Reuters. Seven of the Israelis were released on Sunday, while five were released last week. “The young woman will be taken to court tomorrow morning [Monday],” police spokesman Christos Andreou told AFP. The woman said the youths had assaulted her in a hotel room in the resort of Ayia Napa, an allegation the teenagers denied; some reportedly admitted to having had consensual sex with her, with others possibly present in the room. “As I claimed throughout, there was no rape in Cyprus,” said an attorney for some of the suspect, adding that he felt local police had carried out a “professional and thorough investigation.” Police believe three individuals currently not under arrest may have been involved, as three unrecognized DNA samples were collected from the woman’s body.