Teen arrested in connection with car full of explosives

A LIMASSOL teenager was arrested yesterday in connection with the carload of explosives discovered outside Larnaca’s GSZ Stadium on May 15 ahead of the APOEL-Apollon Cup final.

The 17-year-old youth, who will be taken to Larnaca for his remand hearing, was arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit a felony and illegal possession of weapons.

Police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos said: “The 17-year-old will be taken to Larnaca district court either late today or early tomorrow morning to ask for his remand.”

A few hours before kickoff, and acting on a tipoff, Larnaca police found and confiscated a stash of weapons obviously intended for use by hooligans. The cache, located in a car with fake license plates, included 15 Molotov cocktails, 30 wooden bats, 27 crash helmets, a plastic container filled with a flammable liquid, and a large bucket filled with rocks.

Despite the find it did nothing to deter hooligans itching for a fight from running riot in Limassol following the match.  The clashes were between supporters of Apollon FC, who had just won the Cup final, and fans of AEL, also a Limassol club and resulted in the injury of 11 officers, two of them seriously.

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