Filenews 12 October 2021 - by Michalis Hadjivasilis
Today, in the presence of FBI experts who came to Cyprus in cooperation with the United Nations, the plane that is in a warehouse at Paphos airport is unsealed, on the suspicion that it was used to transport weapons to Libya.
Information from the Police indicates that the FBI's weapons specialists will travel to Paphos this morning, accompanied by police headquarters and pyrotechnicians, in order to unseal the vessel and start an investigation. The aim is to determine whether it carries weapons, or whether it has infrastructure for the transport of weapons. In addition, specific bodies will be indicated by foreign experts to determine any flight plans and other relevant ones, to see whether the plane of foreign interests was involved in any way in the transfer of arms to war-torn Libya.
Depending on the findings of the investigations of the FBI agents, a report will be prepared which will be sent to the United Nations, which is also the Body that imposed an arms embargo on Libya. It is noted that the plane initially landed in Larnaca and on the same day it was moved to Paphos airport in a warehouse of a private company for safekeeping. It remained there for several months, until it was found that he might have been involved in the transfer of arms to Libya in violation of the embargo imposed by the United Nations, with the result that about a month ago, it was asked that the plane be guarded by the Police. This aircraft is mentioned in a Security Council report on the situation in Libya dated 8 March 2021. Its owner is named who is a private individual and provides services where requested.
According to the Department of Civil Aviation, the vessel has been monitored since it came to Cyprus, however, it was not known whether those who drove it to Cyprus had access to it all this time and whether it remained in its original condition.
