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"They never told us why they were taking us in," the American said. "How can you contest something when you don't know the charge?" The following morning, he said, the officers recording each person's official statement wrote that the Christians were accused of trying to establish a church in an office building without permission.

As leader of the small Christian fellowship, McLure was separated from the other seven men during their first hour and a half at the police station, the American said. "Ian wasn't with us, so we weren't witness to what happened to him. The next time we saw him, the right lower corner of his lip was bleeding."

McLure confirmed that soon after he arrived at the police station, the police chief had struck him in the face and abdomen while cursing and shouting at him.

"He shouted at me, 'So, haven't you learned your lesson yet? Didn't you hear what I told you last time'?" Every time McClure tried to answer the police chief, he said, the officer hit him again.

It was McLure's second encounter with this police chief. The Australian had been arrested with a Turkish Christian under the chief's orders last August, when the two were manning a Christian booktable sponsored by the church group at a local fair. Although detained for two days, McLure had charges against him dropped a week later.

"Basically, we are facing complete double-talk," McLure told Compass. "Last time the police told us we had to stay within our church building, as the only legal place to have our worship and fellowship activities." But after Wednesday's police raid, McLure said, it was clear that the officer considered any religious activities involving foreigners to be illegal.

Originally from Sydney, McLure, 49, has had residence in Turkey since 1987, employed as an English teacher. The 41-year-old American, an English teacher, came to Turkey three years ago from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Although Turkey is 99 percent Muslim, its secular constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and citizens can legally change the religious affiliation listed on their identity cards. However, security police are often accused of abusing their wide-ranging authority by arresting, harassing and intimidating Turks who convert to Christianity.

Religious proselytism is legal, apart from proven political motivations. Even so, foreign Christians suspected of such activities are frequently arrested and deported without legal recourse.

Copyright © 2000 Compass Direct.

See our earlier coverage of religious persecution in Turkey:Turkey Releases Jailed Christians After 30 Days | Witnesses admit gendarmarie pressured them to sign complaints (Apr. 10, 2000) Two Turkish Christians Jailed | Judge refuses bail during 'religious slander' investigation (Mar. 13, 2000) 70 Christians Arrested While at Church (Nov. 15, 1999)The U.S. Department of State's Annual Report on International Religious Freedom for 1999 gives more background on religious freedom in Turkey.

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May (Web-only) 2000, Vol. 44