Police rubbish tampering reports in blast probe

POLICE yesterday rubbished a media report suggesting that a Presidential Palace document linked to the seizure of 98 containers of Iranian munitions, which exploded a month ago killing 13, had been altered.

Daily Politis said yesterday reported that investigators seem to doubt the authenticity of the minutes kept by the Presidential Palace during a February 6, 2009 meeting, which decided to seize the cargo destined for Syria.

In a written statement, police “categorically denied” the allegation, adding that the document was authentic.

Police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos said both the document and the computer used to write it had been examined and its authenticity “has been fully confirmed.”

“Consequently, the allegation in the report … is unfounded, since it remains unchanged both in its printed and electronic form, since the day it was written – February 6, 2009.”

Investigators have said that minutes related to the case have been found to have inconsistencies.

Police are already investigating the alleged alteration of one such document by a foreign ministry officer, who allegedly added a paragraph that more or less exonerated former foreign minister Marcos Kyprianou.

Kyprianou has denied any involvement in the affair.

 

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