POLICE yesterday dismissed reports claiming that two high-ranking officers, including the force’s deputy chief, were on the hit list of a foiled multiple-murder plot.
Nine men are currently in custody in connection with the case. Eight were apprehended on April 15 in a police raid following a tip-off about a gangland “turf war” over betting-shops. The ninth suspect was picked up four days later. All nine are facing a series of charges, including conspiring to kill seven people and illegal possession of narcotics, weapons and explosives. A Drugs Squad police officer is among the suspects.
Citing its sources, Daily Politis yesterday said police ignored information supplied by one of the suspects that the ‘hit gang’ planned to assassinate Deputy Chief Andreas Iatropoulos, Nicosia police superintendent Kypros Michaelides, and a third police officer.
The paper claimed the suspect-turned-informant has named the person who wanted the three officers dead. The person, another police officer, is said to have been a close associate of the plot’s mastermind. According to Politis, the officer wanted to ‘get rid’ of his three colleagues because they were trying to “hurt him.”
The paper moreover said the suspect was willing to provide detectives a written statement regarding these claims, but apparently no statement was taken and instead the information was recorded verbally. This raised a host of questions, the paper said, particularly since the Police Chief himself was aware of the suspect’s fresh allegations.
According to Politis, the suspect said the police officer would meet with the mastermind at the latter’s home, where they would discuss “business.” On at least one occasion, money was mentioned.
The paper urged the police to come clean and explain whether the suspect had furnished the information in writing or not.
In a statement yesterday, the force denied it ever had concrete tips about plans to murder the two top cops, but tiptoed around the questions posed by Politis.
It said the Police Chief had no “information or testimony to the effect that a member of the police force is behind a plot to assassinate Deputy Chief Andreas Iatropoulos and/or Nicosia police superintendent Kypros Michaelides.”
According to the statement, Iatropoulos “has categorically denied receiving any threat against his life. As far as Mr. Michaelides is concerned, there has been information relating to threats against his life, and this information is being investigated.
“At no time, however, did the police secure a statement implicating any member of the police force in these threats.”
The statement said it was the police’s job to conduct investigations, and urged the media to refrain from publishing unsubstantiated allegations “which can only cause harm to the investigation.”
The nine suspects will be appearing in court today where the investigating officers will ask that they be referred to trial.
Meanwhile CyBC last night reported that police are investigating allegations of a conspiracy to murder Acting Prisons director George Tryfonides.
According to the report, the plot was being masterminded by a group of inmates who enlisted the help of persons outside the prisons to execute the plan.
The complaint was made to police by Tryfonides after prison authorities got a tipoff from “third parties,” CyBC said.
The state channel said police bodyguards have been assigned to Tryfonides round the clock as a precaution.
The alleged conspiracy could be linked to recent changes instituted by Tryfonides at the Central Prisons, as a result of which a number of inmates have lost their privileges, CyBC said.
