Recovered firearm believed connected with Azeri case

Authorities have recovered a firearm in Paphos linked to the case of an Azeri national suspected of planning to assassinate Israeli businessmen living in Cyprus.

The location of the weapon was disclosed by a 27-year-old Pakistani man held in connection with the case. The 27-year-old, who worked as a deliveryman, is suspected of being the Azeri’s accomplice, along with four others detained by the authorities.

The pistol was found wrapped in a plastic bag and buried in a field near the suspect’s residence.

Police spokesman Christos Andreou declined to go into detail.

“It is a serious case; we cannot get into details. Evidence has been collected and we are towards the end,” he said.

Andreou said a lot of people have been questioned and everything was done in secret “and that is why we have reached this stage, to have six individuals under arrest.”

The 39-year-old Azeri national was arrested in late September after he crossed from the north through the Ledra Street checkpoint. He was later found to have a pistol equipped with a suppressor.

Another weapon was found in the north after a Greek Cypriot who was also staying at the same hotel as the Azeri happened to see the alleged hitman hiding something behind an air-conditioning unit, but seemingly thought nothing of it until news broke of the man’s arrest in the Republic.

The unidentified Greek Cypriot then searched the location at the hotel and discovered a Glock 9mm and two bullets wrapped in a nylon bag.