SEVEN youths were led to court yesterday on a remand hearing in connection to an attack on University of Nicosia students on Tuesday during a voting procedure for student representatives.
Superintendent Anastasios Karadjias told the court that around 15 black-clad people stormed a University of Nicosia hall after 5:15pm, wielding bats and wearing helmets.
They terrorised people with the bats and threw furniture around before making off with four ballot boxes.
One of the assailants had some sort of a spray can with him and when one student tried to stop him, he sprayed him in the face, burning his eyes and then hitting him on the neck with a bat while he was down, Karadjias said.
Five students went to hospital with difficulties in breathing and burning eyes from the gas.
The assailants left the hall in formation and walked towards the nearby Mall of Engomi. Some of them put the ballot boxes in a car and got in while the rest dispersed on foot, Karadjias said. The car belonged to one of the suspects’ fathers, who told the police that his son had use of his car.
The incident was condemned by student bodies, the government and political parties.
A 26-year-old army officer in Larnaca was remanded for eight days on Wednesday with reports saying he had leaflets of far right group National Popular Front (ELAM).
The Defence Ministry issued a statement calling as “unacceptable” the fact that a National Guard officer was involved and promising to strictly observe procedures to deal with the issue.
ELAM, who have denied any involvement with the incident, issued a statement asking “since when are leaflets of a legal political party a criminal offence or criminalising evidence?”
In addition to the national guard officer who was remanded and the seven youths who appeared before court yesterday, the police are looking for a ninth person in relation to the attack.
Karadjias told the court that the police had a written testimony connecting the national guard officer and three of the suspects from yesterday’s procedure with the incident. The remaining four plus the wanted person were named by a police source, the court heard.
Karadjias told the court that during the remand hearing’s break he received word there was further information connecting six of the youths with the incident.
The police expect to collect around 60 testimonies.
Court decides today on the police’s request for an eight day remand.
The seven youths were held in custody yesterday pending the court’s decision.
