A man facing Hamas terrorism and murder conspiracy charges has been remanded in custody in Cyprus following a ruling by the Court of Appeal, which overturned a previous bail decision.
- A man facing Hamas terrorism and murder conspiracy charges has been remanded in custody in Cyprus following a ruling by the Court of Appeal, which overturned a previous bail decision.
The 54-year-old defendant, one of three men of Palestinian origin, is embroiled in a case involving serious allegations, including terrorism and conspiracy to commit murder. He will remain in custody until early August, when the Criminal Court will adjudicate on his continued detention. The initial hearing is scheduled for August 6.
The Court of Appeal’s decision stemmed from an application by the Law Office of the Republic, acting on the Attorney General’s instructions, challenging a June 12 ruling by the Larnaca District Court that allowed the defendant to be released under stringent bail conditions. These included a €1 million guarantee and regular reporting to authorities.
Senior state attorney Andreas Aristeidis, representing the prosecution, argued that the lower court made errors in its assessment and misapplied legal principles, leading to the Court of Appeal’s agreement with these points.
The other two defendants, aged 33 and 38, have been in custody since June 12. The indictment specifies that they are considered the core of the alleged Hamas plot, while the 54-year-old is accused of facilitating the transfer of materials used to create explosives. Authorities executed search warrants at two locations, a Larnaca apartment, and a villa at Governor’s Beach, identified as the defendants’ base of operations.
This case is part of a broader investigation, with law enforcement agencies in Cyprus and Greece dismantling what they claim to be a Hamas-linked cell that spans both nations. A total of five individuals have been arrested, with a sixth suspect still at large. One notable arrest occurred in Crete on June 6, involving a 37-year-old Palestinian believed to have connections with the individuals detained in Cyprus.
Reports suggest that the suspects had previously met with Hamas members in Istanbul and were allegedly planning attacks across multiple countries, including Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, and various nations in Asia, where they purportedly received training in explosives.
In its ruling, the Court of Appeal highlighted specific inaccuracies in the lower court’s findings. It noted that the court mistakenly concluded that a relative of the 54-year-old acted under his influence while he was abroad, when evidence indicated that the relative’s actions were intended to assist an acquaintance. Additionally, the court found fault with the lower court’s assertion that the defendant claimed a package contained camping equipment, stating that this claim lacked evidential support.
During the hearing, the Court of Appeal determined that the evidence presented sufficiently connected the defendant to the charges, meeting the legal threshold for a probable conviction at this stage. The court remarked on the seriousness of the allegations, which carry potential sentences of many years, including life imprisonment for the terrorism charge. It also stated that the circumstances did not suggest any reasonable likelihood of the defendant not fleeing to evade the consequences of such a serious case.
The ties to Cyprus cited by the lower court were deemed insufficient to counterbalance the severity of the charges and the likelihood of conviction. Notably, reports have indicated that four of the 54-year-old’s children serve in the Cypriot security forces, further complicating the narrative surrounding this case.
