A case against four suspects in the Larnaca terrorism investigation will be filed at Larnaca District Court today, with proceedings then expected to be referred to the city’s Criminal Court, according to Phileleftheros sources.
The four suspects are aged 32, 38, 54, and 57. However, Phileleftheros understands it should not be taken as a given that all four will face charges or that the prosecuting authority will seek the remand of all of them.
This appears to depend on the investigative findings and the evidence gathered against each individual suspect, whose degree of involvement differs, sources said — meaning surprises cannot be ruled out when they appear before the court today.
38-year-old at the centre
The 38-year-old is in the most serious position, according to information available to Phileleftheros. He is alleged to have entered Cyprus via the occupied north in order to organise the network. Evidence gathered by police is described as particularly incriminating against him.
According to testimony against him, the 38-year-old recruited 37-year-old Yousef, who was arrested last Saturday in Agios Nikolaos, Crete. Greek authorities are reported to hold testimony that it was the 38-year-old who bought Yousef’s tickets for travel to Malaysia, where the two are alleged to have trained in the manufacture of high-powered explosive devices.
Yousef, who confessed his involvement in the network to Greek authorities, is said to have told them he had regretted his decision and changed his mind, but felt obligated because the 38-year-old had already incurred expenses and made arrangements. Feeling vulnerable, he ultimately agreed to travel to the Asian country. This testimony, as reported by Phileleftheros, points to the 38-year-old — arrested in Larnaca on May 21 — as the network’s leader.
Suspect’s children in National Guard and police
Phileleftheros reported yesterday that three children of one of the two older suspects — the 57-year-old and the 54-year-old — hold contracts with the National Guard as contracted soldiers.
On Monday, the paper had reported that one of the children of the suspect serves in the Cyprus Police and had access to databases containing information on Cypriot and foreign nationals.
Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas was asked about the contracted soldier children on Sigma TV’s midday programme “Mesimeri kai kati” by journalist Christos Michalaros. Though guarded in his response, Palmas indicated nothing had been found against them professionally. “They have not given us reason to suspect anything regarding their professional careers,” he said.
Palmas called for restraint, saying that because their father is considered a suspect, “we must not disregard their rights.” He added: “A traitor can be a Greek Cypriot too. We are damaging their reputation.”
The father of these children will be included in the indictment, according to Phileleftheros’s information.
In an effort to establish whether the role of the suspect’s children had been examined, Phileleftheros spoke with a source with good knowledge of the facts. That source said nothing has emerged against them.