Bones of 1974 dead stored in Tymbos cannot be identified

BONES of people killed during the invasion of 1974 that have been stored at the Tymbos Makedonitissa ossuary in Nicosia cannot be identified by DNA fingerprinting because they were preserved with the wrong chemicals, it was revealed yesterday.

Over the past two years, the remains of 115 Greeks and Greek Cypriots killed in the invasion, including those of 15 persons classified as ‘missing’, have been dug up from two Nicosia cemeteries and identified by matching their DNA with that of relatives.

But plans to extend the identification process to the Makedonitissa tomb have been scuppered by suspect storage methods, the House refugee committee heard yesterday. The committee visited the Institute of Genetics, which has been involved in the identification effort, to be briefed by experts.

Committee chairman Aristofanis Georgiou said the stored remains could only be analysed for DNA if a “suitable antidote” for the dodgy storage chemicals could be found.

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