Third arrest as police probe alleged murder plot (Updated)

Two brothers were remanded for five days on Wednesday afternoon after police received a tip off they were conspiring to carry out an attack against the president of the Limassol school board Dinos Ellinas.

Late on Wednesday night local media reported that police arrested a third man as a suspect in the case.

Local media reported that the two men, aged 25 and 26, contacted a third man who put them into contact with a weapons dealer from whom they purchased two pistols. A police search at the brothers’ homes only turned up a single replica pistol.

The third man reportedly informed the police of their intentions and the incident at large.

The two defendants deny any wrongdoing.

Police chief Stelios Papatheodorou told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) that the information the authority received about a potential criminal act against Ellinas was enough to prompt an immediate operation.

“We could not stand idle. We are looking into the case, but the investigation is still in its initial stages.”

Ellinas told the CNA that police had informed him that they had received a tip off that two associates of the school board, owners of a contracting company, were allegedly planning to murder him.

“I want to make it clear that the school board has no ongoing quarrel with the contracting company, nor does it owe money to the two suspects,” Ellinas said.

Amongst the charges, the brothers are facing accusations of conspiring to commit murder, along with transportation and possession of weapons and explosives.

The school board announced on Wednesday that they had recently worked with the company linked to the suspects and a sum of €360,000 had been paid.