Filenews 21 October 2023
At around 1:37 a.m. today, there was an explosion near the Israeli embassy in Nicosia.
Members of the Police rushed to the spot, including pyrotechnics. The tests found at a distance of about 30 meters from the embassy, a small metal object containing a very small amount of pyrotechnic material that detonated and exploded, without causing any damage.
In the area, two persons were found moving on foot, while in a car parked on an adjacent road, with which the two pedestrians appear to have gone to the area, two more persons were found.
Two knives and a hammer were found in the vehicle, resulting in the arrest of a 21-year-old owner of the vehicle for the offenses of stabbing and possession of an offensive instrument.
All four persons aged 17 to 21 are at the ICF for examinations.
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As an incident of delinquent behaviour and not at all related to terrorism, the Police are currently treating the incident that took place at noon yesterday at a bank branch on Athalassis Avenue, in Nicosia.
The 44-year-old Arabian entered the branch as a customer, but for reasons that will become clear after police examinations, he went astray and began vandalizing, breaking everything in front of him.
Men from the Police "Z" team responded and arrested him.
Reports tell us that witnesses show that the arrested man actually shouted "Allahu Akbar". However, he did not carry an offensive instrument, nor did he appear to be planning an act of terrorism.
The same sources said the person in question appeared mentally disturbed during his unprecedented outburst.
After his arrest by members of the "Z" group, the 44-year-old was transferred to the central police station (Lycabettus) that is now handling the case.
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The three detainees in the Central Prison who, according to the Police, are allegedly involved in planning to commit a murder in Paphos, are being brought back to court today for the renewal of their detention orders, which expire today.
The authorities, following information and evaluation of evidence in their possession, proceeded on October 12 to arrest the three prisoners in the Prisons who were transferred to Pafos and brought before the District Court which issued eight days detention orders against them, in a case that due to its seriousness and upon request was held behind closed doors. However, from what has become known about this serious case, it appears that behind the planned murder are cases of drug trafficking and trafficking disputes.
They are two convicts and one undertrial, aged 45, 38 and 29 respectively, while according to information obtained by the police, the alleged target of the conspiracy is a person who has been employed by the authorities in the past.
The head of the Pafos ICF, Michalis Nicolaou, said that the arrests concern the possibility of committing the offences of conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to prevent the course of justice, attempt to influence a witness and threats. The 45-year-old convict and the 29-year-old defendant face charges of conspiracy to commit murder, while the 38-year-old convict faces charges of threats.
In parallel with the renewal of the detention of the three, the Police continue to investigate the evidence found in the cells of the three, such as mobile phones, telecommunications cards, other electronic equipment and various other items that may be related to the case under investigation. Authorities reportedly have in the meantime placed under protection the person believed to have been the target of the three's plot.
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The members of the Limassol OPE yesterday arrested a Turkish Cypriot man after a serious incident that took place in the Turkish Cypriot district of Agios Antonios.
According to the first information of philenews, information was received by the Police that there was a big fight in progress between relatives in the above area. Upon the arrival of an OPE patrol, a man holding a butcher knife moved menacingly towards the members of the Force.
One of the officers was forced to use his service revolver, firing a warning shot into the air.
The man in question was immobilized by the police officers of OPE Limassol and then put in handcuffs. He is expected to be taken to the Limassol Police Headquarters to receive a statement, while members of the Force are currently in the Turkish Cypriot district to investigate the incident.
