POLICE - THE END OF RAMADAN MARKS INCREASED VIGILANCE MEASURES IN CYPRUS - Filenews 24/3 by Fanis Makridis
The end of the Ramadan fast also marks the adoption of vigilance measures by European and other Western countries, including Cyprus.
A competent department of the Cyprus Police with the end of the holy religious period for Muslims sent a message to all District Police Directorates (ADE) and competent departments/services of the body for increased vigilance.
This internal note was sent late on Saturday afternoon and refers to the need for vigilance, as there is information about possible terrorist acts by cells of the "Guards of the Islamic Revolution".
The message states that the risk is real for "various countries of the world, including Cyprus". The note also refers to specific points and facilities, on which the members of the police force should focus their attention. As always in such cases, there are recommendations for Israeli and Western targets.
What connoisseurs say
What is commented on by circles close to the security industry in Cyprus and put before "F", clearly speaks of a completely justified "hidden alarm", which, however, should not cause panic.
"It is a fact that after the strike on the British Bases of Akrotiri, which is linked to the Guards of the Islamic Revolution, it shows that the geographical position of Cyprus, the geopolitical developments and foreign interests should not be underestimated. But in recent years, the phenomenon of increased security measures being taken on our island is not something unprecedented," said a person with expertise and knowledge of data in the field of security.
And in other periods
Such measures, however, have been taken in other cases in recent years and even without tension in the Middle East having reached its peak. It is also characteristic of our publication in February 2024, when we had informed about taking emergency security measures.
At that time, "F" had spoken of information coming from security services and had been forwarded to the police force. Competent officers of the police force had informed competent persons of their service about increased security measures aimed at preventing any acts of terrorism.
The police directors of the provinces had given instructions to take "increased security and vigilance measures" in all competent units and departments.
At the same time, these orders include an increase in controls through patrols in specific areas. These instructions were addressed to the heads of police stations throughout Cyprus, but also to the provincial departments of KEM-ULAE (Message Control Center – Immediate Intervention Platoon).
As of 2021
At the same time, those who follow the news are well aware that in recent years many times the security authorities of the Republic have been called upon to handle information about the Guards of the Islamic Revolution.
People were brought to court, on the basis of classified information that brought persons acting as agents of the said body. Reports in Israel, in fact, brought the intelligence service of the neighbouring country, Mossad, to have forwarded information about the activities of persons on Cypriot soil, who were allegedly recruited by this organization.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, known by the Latin acronym IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps), is a military and political organization created after the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
It operates in parallel with Iran's regular army, but it has a larger political and ideological dimension. It is involved in military, political and economic activities, including operations outside Iran.
In a case file
At least, from 2021 until today, the Cyprus Police has been called upon many times to deal with cases involving the Islamic Revolutionary Guards. Arrests have been made and, in fact, the information about the connection of suspects with the organization has been recorded in a case file.
The Prime Minister of Lebanon and the statement
for the Islamic Revolutionary Guards
- Intelligence services know the "mastermind" in two alleged spy operations in Cyprus
The statement made on Sunday by the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Nawaf Salam, although it caused a sensation among the general public, was received with less surprise by those who follow the news closely.
The neighbouring country's top official attributed the blow to the British Akrotiri Bases on the action of Islamic Revolutionary Guards inside Lebanon.
Specifically, speaking to Lebanon's Arab news television network, Al-Hadath, he said that "the Iranian Revolutionary Guard is present in Lebanon and is leading military operations", indicating that "the Revolutionary Guard is the one that launched drones from Lebanon towards Cyprus".
He also pointed out that members of the Revolutionary Guards "reside illegally in Lebanon", stressing that "the government's decision to expel the Revolutionary Guard from Lebanon is being implemented".
At another point, he said that the war was imposed on his country and "it is not our choice".
From pre-informed
It should be noted here that an article in "F" revealed that before the strike that took place on March 2 with a drone on the Akrotiri Bases, the security authorities of the Republic had been informed by a cooperating service of the country, that some kind of movement on our island with a drone was imminent and in fact this expected action was "charged" in advance to the Guards of the Islamic Revolution.
The information of our newspaper states that at least four days before the strike, competent services of the Republic were aware and were on hidden alert.
Information network
Information that "F" is aware of and has published from time to time, states that the Cyprus Police and other services of the Republic have been participating in a well-organized network of information collection and exchange for some years now. Through official channels and technology, there is immediate information on security issues.
The "brain"
According to what we are able to know about the Police, it is even the name of an official of the IRGC organization, whom intelligence services have linked to the action of at least two agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards in Cyprus.
The two agents are said to have received guidance from this "mastermind" to carry out surveillance missions against foreign interests on our island.
