Pipe bomb explodes near Israeli embassy in Cyprus, no injuries; 4 Syrians arrested
Two knives and hammer found inside vehicle of suspects ranging in ages from 17 to 21; they face multiple charges including attempted destruction of property using explosives
NICOSIA, Cyprus — Police in Cyprus said Saturday they arrested four Syrians on suspicion of setting off a pipe bomb that caused little damage and no injuries not far from Israeli Embassy in the capital Nicosia.
Police said the four, ranging in ages between 17 and 21, face charges of attempted destruction of property using explosives, possession and use of explosives and possession of a knife.
Police did not say whether the bombing, some 30 meters (98 feet) from the Israeli embassy was connected to Israel’s war against Hamas, sparked by the terror group’s devastating onslaught on southern Israel on October 7.
A Nicosia court ordered that the suspects remain in police detention for six days until investigators can formally bring charges against them or release them.
According to police, two of the suspects were spotted walking near the scene of the explosion, while the other two were sitting inside a car parked in a nearby alley.
Two knives and a hammer were also found inside the vehicle.
Λευκωσία: Έκρηξη μικρής ισχύος κοντά στην πρεσβεία του Ισραήλ! Μία σύλληψη και τρεις προσαγωγές Σύρων! https://t.co/L8qRFc4IzD #ΕΚΡΗΞΗ #ΙΣΡΑΗΛ #ΚΥΠΡΟΣ #ΛΕΥΚΩΣΙΑ #ΠΡΕΣΒΕΙΑ_ΙΣΡΑΗΛ
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Cypriot explosive experts called to the site found the remains of a detonated pipe bomb, causing slight damage. Police said it contained the type of explosive material used in making fireworks.
There was no immediate confirmation from the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
Security has been stepped up for Israeli and Jewish sites across the European Union following the October 7 Hamas massacre which saw some 2,500 terrorists stream into Israel via land, sea and air, and kill some 1,400 people — a vast majority civilians — and seize more than 200 hostages of all ages from southern Israel, under the cover of a deluge of thousands of rockets.
The attack, where Hamas terrorists and others seized border communities, killed mostly civilians — men, women, children and the elderly — and executed entire families in their homes and over 260 at an outdoor music festival, many amid horrific acts of brutality by the terrorists, was described by US President Joe Biden as “the worst massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust.”
Israel says its offensive against Hamas is aimed at destroying the terror group’s infrastructure, and has vowed to eliminate the entire terror organization, which rules the Strip. It says it is targeting all areas where Hamas operates, while seeking to minimize civilian casualties.
There have been widespread pro-Palestinian protests in a number of European countries, including in Cyprus, following a blast at a Gaza City hospital this week blamed falsely on Israel by the terror group. Israel has produced evidence showing the explosion was caused by an Islamic Jihad rocket misfire. The United States, also citing its own data, has endorsed the Israeli account.
Spiking antisemitism across the world has led to attacks on Jewish sites, including the firebombing of a Berlin synagogue this week.
Cyprus has a sizable Jewish community, and since the conflict began, police have tightened security around the Israeli embassy and other sites.
