One of the two Palestinians arrested on May 30 in connection with an alleged Hamas plot to attack Israeli targets has a son serving in the Cyprus Police, in a unit dealing with foreign nationals affairs, Phileleftheros has confirmed.
Police have already investigated the family connection between the suspect and the officer. No evidence or testimony pointing to any involvement by the police officer in the case has emerged, a source told Phileleftheros.
The two men arrested on May 30, aged 57 and 53, have been living in Cyprus since the mid-1980s and hold Cypriot citizenship, according to Phileleftheros reporting.
The terrorism case came to light in the final ten days of May, when chemical substances used in the manufacture of high-powered explosives were found at two properties — one at Governor’s Beach and one in Kamares, Larnaca.
Two Palestinians aged 32 and 38 were arrested first, followed by the two older suspects.
On Saturday, Greek Police and the National Intelligence Service arrested a 37-year-old man in Crete on suspicion of belonging to the same network as the four men held in Larnaca.
The suspect had moved to Greece a year ago and applied for asylum, having previously lived in Gaza. He had a residence in the Patisia neighbourhood of Athens and had recently relocated to Agios Nikolaos in Crete, where he was working seasonally at a hotel.
Greek authorities had information suggesting the 37-year-old may have been planning a terrorist attack on an Israeli cruise ship due to dock at Agios Nikolaos.