Cyprus authorities have detained a 27-year-old Estonian citizen on suspicion of terrorism, and the Estonian Foreign Ministry is investigating the situation, writes ERR News.
Local media in Cyprus have reported that the Estonian woman was detained together with a 28-year-old Azerbaijani man, who is said to be the woman’s spouse. Police said the arrests were made in Larnaca, shortly before the couple’s flight to leave the island. The operation was carried out based on intelligence information received in February.
Investigators believe that the man had repeatedly visited Iran and may have been recruited into the ranks of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Before the arrest, police monitored the couple’s movements and recorded their actions, which were said to be reminiscent of the actions of trained agents. During their stay in Cyprus, the suspects visited Paphos, Limassol and Larnaca, where they took photos of places frequented by people of Israeli origin.
Police are currently investigating whether the photos were sent abroad.
Although the couple described themselves as tourists, each arrived on their own flight to the island. The woman is suspected of covering up her partner’s activities. The court ordered the suspects to be detained for eight days, and their personal belongings have been confiscated for examination.
Meanwhile, hostilities in the Middle East are also affecting Cyprus. In early March, a drone hit a British military base on the island, and it is believed that it was launched from Lebanon by the Iran-friendly terrorist group Hezbollah.
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