Blast targets PASOK Nicosia office ahead of polls

AN explosion yesterday occurred at the headquarters of socialist party EDEK in Nicosia.

Spokesman Demetris Papadakis explained that a fire seems to have been set deliberately, as several gas canisters were found at the scene.
The fire is believed to have broken out at 3.20am in a room used as a press centre, which sustained extensive damage.

Investigators at the scene said the perpetrators had used three canisters, which they placed to the left of an exterior glass door.

Two of the devices detonated, also destroying around 1,000 plane tickets issued for Greek nationals due to return to Greece yesterday and today, before Sunday’s parliamentary elections. Voting lists were also lost.

Police are saying that the attackers are most likely Greek rather than Cypriot due to the modus operandi, which is more often seen in Greece.

According to Papadakis, the room, which was located on the ground floor, had over the past two months been rented out to PASOK for their election campaign.
The PASOK spokesman in Nicosia, Sakis Fidoyiannis said alternative travel arrangements were being made for people affected, adding that he couldn’t think of anybody with a motive to carry out the attack.

Nobody was present at the time of the explosion, which was fortunate, as many PASOK members have been working as late as 4am this week.
The Democratic Labour Federation of Cyprus yesterday issued a statement condemning the attack, saying: “The cowards responsible will not intimidate EDEK and we urge the police to bring the perpetrators to justice as quickly as possible.”