Club owner wounded in bomb attack

By Elias Hazou

ANOTHER gangland attack took place in Limassol yesterday with the attempted murder of a club owner whose brother was killed in 1995.

Sotiris Athinis, 44-year-old owner of Le Panache nightclub, was the target of a bomb which went off outside the building just after midnight.

His brother Melios was shot dead in his car by unidentified assailants in the town in November 1995.

Athinis was taken to Limassol General Hospital after sustaining minor head wounds. Andreas Xenofontos, alias Kafouris, was also injured in the explosion and kept in hospital for treatment.

Police say they have stepped up security in the area in an effort to prevent possible revenge attacks.

Police believe a remote control device was used to detonate the bomb at the nightclub’s entrance.

Athinis told police yesterday that he had received threats against his life and that he had consequently began taking precautions.

In an almost identical attack in Limassol ten days ago, a bomb went off outside a pub owned by Charalambos Neoptolemou, alias Lemis.

Meanwhile a hoax warning was given yesterday at around 1am by an unidentified caller who told Ayia Napa police that a bomb would explode at the ‘Poulerouge’ nightclub in the town.

The recent wave of gangland violence in Limassol follows the July 31 murder of Andros Aeroporos, who was acquitted the previous month, along with his two brothers, of the attempted murder of Larnaca club owner Antonis Fanieros, 57.

After the murder of Aeroporos, Justice Minister Nicos Koshis appealed to the public to help police in the fight against organised crime.

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