Filenews 23 December 2024
The Court of Appeal has increased the sentences of two young Syrians who, a few days after Hamas' bloodshed in Israel, had planted a bomb near the Israeli embassy in Nicosia.
Initially, the Nicosia Assize Court had sentenced the two 21-year-old Syrians to 18 months in prison on charges of possession and use of explosive materials. The Court of Appeal accepted an appeal by the Attorney General and increased the prison sentence to two and a half years.
The explosion had occurred in the early morning of October 21, 2023 (a few days after the attack of the organization Hamas in Israel), when the two Syrians threw a homemade bomb which exploded outside the Israeli embassy in Nicosia. The bomb (water pipe type) was 5 cm long and 2.5 cm in diameter, contained a low-power explosive, as well as 10 metal screws 15 mm long, to maximize fragmentation and cause harm or damage.
The case was solved overnight when police officers of the M.M.A.D., who were guarding on a nearby street, noticed the explosion, moved with the patrol car and soon spotted the respondents walking towards their car, in which two other compatriots from Syria were spotted, asleep.
The Court of Appeal considered that the Criminal Court had rightly pointed out that the possession and use of offensive weapons for political purposes was particularly unacceptable, conduct which undermines the foundations of democracy and the fundamental rights of citizens. Besides, he notes, it was obvious that the target of the attack was the embassy, while the filling of the water pipe with metal screws shows that only by chance no damage was caused to property or injuries, even to unsuspecting citizens.
In any case, the Republic itself takes measures to safeguard foreign diplomatic missions and ensures that good relations are maintained with their countries. At the same time, it is duty-bound to make efforts not to extend any hostilities and illegal actions to its own territory. It is this security, good relations and, by extension, the peaceful climate in general that are at stake with such attacks. The risks, should such behaviour be left unchecked, should not be underestimated.
Taking into account all the facts, and especially the fact that the law for such offences provides for prison sentences of up to 15 years, it overturned the first instance judgment.
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Filenews 24 December 2024
A 43-year-old man was arrested yesterday and taken into custody for facilitating investigations into an ongoing case of truck theft, malicious damage to property and conspiracy to commit a felony.
The above offences were committed between the dates of 12 and 13 November 2024, in Famagusta district, while the truck was located on 18 November, in an area of Nicosia district.
For the purpose of locating and arresting the 43-year-old, on November 23, 2024, the Police proceeded to publish the photo and personal details of the 43-year-old.
