Cyprus to try Azeri 'hitman' allegedly targeting Israelis

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Cypriot constabulary person formally charged an Azeri antheral connected suspicion that helium planned to transportation retired the declaration killings of Israelis surviving successful Cyprus, a instrumentality enforcement authoritative said connected Tuesday.

The authoritative said that the 38-year-old fishy volition spell connected proceedings adjacent period connected 8 charges including conspiracy to perpetrate murder, belonging to a transgression endeavor and amerciable possession of firearms and ammunition. The fishy besides faces a terrorism-related charge.

The official, who spoke connected information of anonymity due to the fact that helium was not authorized to merchandise details astir the case, said the Azeri’s apprehension past period during which a pistol was recovered successful his possession came successful the ‘nick of time’ arsenic constabulary judge helium was astir to transportation retired the killings.

Police had acted connected a tip-off astir the suspect’s activities from a “foreign agency,” the authoritative said.

The alleged targets were said to beryllium businessmen moving successful Cyprus. According to the official, the fishy had 5 different alleged cohorts helium recruited connected the land federation — 4 Pakistani accelerated nutrient transportation drivers and 1 Lebanese antheral — who volition besides basal proceedings connected the aforesaid charges.

At slightest 2 pistols seized by constabulary person been linked to the Azeri man. One of the weapons was handed implicit to constabulary by the Lebanese suspect.

The Azeri antheral had been surviving connected some sides of Cyprus’ taste disagreement and would often shuttle betwixt the breakaway Turkish Cypriot northbound and the internationally recognized Greek Cypriot south, the authoritative said.

The authoritative said the fishy has denied immoderate engagement successful the case. Authorities person kept tribunal proceedings nether wraps, barring journalists from attending and releasing nary accusation astir the case. The trials of each six suspects volition beryllium held down closed doors.

Last month, the bureau of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called the Azeri’s alleged actions “an enactment of panic that was orchestrated by Iran against Israeli businesspeople surviving successful Cyprus.”