A 57-year-old man charged in a terrorism case alongside two other suspects was released on €1 million bail on Friday after a court rejected a request for his continued detention.

“The entire testimony concerning the 57-year-old that allegedly links him to the present case presents weaknesses. Therefore, the request for his detention is rejected and specific conditions are imposed,” the Larnaca criminal court said in its ruling.

The man faces charges of terrorism and participation in a criminal organisation alongside two co-defendants aged 32 and 38. He had appealed against his detention, denying any involvement in the case.

According to the court, the defendant’s alleged connection to the case stems from packages containing suspicious materials which were received by relatives.

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As part of his release conditions, the 57-year-old must sign a €1 million bond with creditworthy guarantors, surrender all travel documents and report to a police station four times a week.

The court heard that he has lived in Cyprus for 40 years and has four children employed in the country’s security services, including the police and National Guard.

One of his children serves in the Cyprus police and reportedly has access to law enforcement databases, while three others are employed by the National Guard as contract soldiers.

Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas on Wednesday urged the public to distinguish between the investigation involving the father and the professions of his children, stressing that any relevant inquiries would be carried out by the competent authorities.

Police had previously arrested the 57-year-old’s brother but later released him after finding no evidence linking him to the case.

According to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), the two remaining suspects are believed to have planned acts of terrorism against Israeli targets in Cyprus.

Authorities allege that the 38-year-old, who reportedly entered the Republic through the north, was the central figure in the operation and was responsible for planning activities, manufacturing explosives and selecting targets.

The 32-year-old suspect, a Palestinian national living in Cyprus with his wife and child, has been linked to two properties – one near Governor’s Beach in Limassol and another in the Kamares area of Larnaca.

Authorities reportedly discovered quantities of chemical substances and raw materials at the two properties, including ammonium nitrate, which investigators believe could have been used in the manufacture of explosives.