Police block Ayia Napa road after grenade thrown at restaurant

AYIA NAPA Police sealed off one of the town’s main roads yesterday after a restaurant owner stumbled upon a live hand grenade that had been thrown onto his premises.

The discovery of the grenade at 10.30am, caused minor panic among residents, worried that there might be an explosion.

Famagusta Police Spokesman George Economou told the Cyprus Mail last night that it was too early to know why the restaurant had been targeted.

“Because the investigation just started we don’t know much yet and we don’t have any suspicions. Our officers will continue to take statements from the owner, his staff and others today and tomorrow,” he said.

The hand grenade, thought to have been thrown from a passing motor cycle or car, caused no damage and was taken away for forensic tests.

“Luckily, because this grenade did not explode, nobody was hurt; it was thrown through the window of the entrance at some point in the night or morning,” Economou added.

Explosives experts were called to the scene to look for any additional devices and all routes leading to Tefkou Anthea Street were blocked off by police.

The targeted restaurant is popular with tourists and locals and located around 900 metres from Ayia Napa police headquarters.

Road blocks remained in place for over five hours as police combed the area for clues.

This is not the first time a hand grenade has been used in a criminal attack this year.

In September, a military hand grenade explosion in Limassol caused severe damage to five cars, but nobody was hurt.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.