A Cypriot man, a convicted rapist and murderer, has been included on the EU’s ‘Most Wanted’ list, launched this weekend.
Among the 45 suspects currently featured on the site are Salah Abdelslam and Mohammed Abrini, both linked to the Paris attacks in which 130 people died, and to neighbouring Belgium where they lived.
Also featuring is Cypriot Panagiotis Netzati, 40. Clicking the photos on the site opens up a brief description of the crimes of which they are suspected and offers ways for readers to submit tips.
According to the Europol-run site, on August 7, 2007, Netzati was found guilty by the Famagusta District Court for premeditated murder, rape and abduction of Jana Kovacova, committed on August 17, 2006 in Ayia Napa.
On August 9, 2007, he was convicted by the same court, of a lifetime sentence, 9 years imprisonment and 5 years imprisonment. All three sentences were running concurrently. Since then, he was serving time at Central Prisons in Nicosia. On October 14, 2007, he escaped from the Central Prisons, High Security 4th Ward in Nicosia.
On October 14, 2007, a national arrest warrant was issued against him, for conspiracy to commit a felony, escape from lawful custody and was as a whole associated with the three above mentioned offences. Netzati is still wanted and on December 5, 2007, a European arrest Warrant was issued against him by the District Judge of the Nicosia District Court.
Europol says that Netzati also goes by the alises Atakerler OZGUR, Ozgur ATAKERLER, Panagiotis NETJADIN, Ozgur OZKAN, Panagiotis NETZIATI, Panayiotis NETJADIN. He speaks Greek Turkish and English. He is described as being 180m in height with brown eyes.
European police agencies introduced the list as part of a push to share more information about criminals across borders in the wake of the Islamic State assault on Paris in November 2015.
The site, which draws comparisons with traditional FBI “most-wanted” posters in the United States, features photos and descriptions of fugitives convicted or suspected of committing serious crimes.
National police forces of European countries select suspects for the list when they believe that having them known abroad may help bring about their arrest.
“We are convinced that at least a few of these people are hiding in a different country than where they committed crimes,” said Europol spokeswoman Tine Hollevoet. Most European Union countries are part of its Schengen passport-free travel zone.
The site is available in 17 languages. It can be found at www.eumostwanted.eu/
