Police say arrested army colonel is key to arms cases

 

POLICE were yesterday optimistic that the arrest of a National Guard lieutenant colonel suspected of supplying explosives to the underworld would shed light on many crimes carried out in the past.

Speaking after the end of a court hearing, which renewed the officer’s remand for a further eight days, Savvas Iatropoulos, the head of the special task force assigned with looking into past crimes, said criminal elements seemed to have panicked and were now getting rid of their weapons in a hopeless effort to escape arrest.

In the wake of Sudjis’ arrest, police have made three large seizures of weapons and explosives.

Iatropoulos said the keys in the case were Sudjis, and another suspect Fanos Mahattou, who had named him.

Yesterday, the court heard Sudjis had claimed the weapons found in his home and car had been give to him by a man who was later murdered.

Police, however, reject the allegation.

The suspect has allegedly admitted to several offences under investigation, but was not being co-operative, police told the court.

The 47-year-old infantry officer was arrested in Larnaca last Thursday week after Mahattou named him as being involved with several bombings.

Sudjis and 42-year-old Mahattou from Ayia Napa are under investigation concerning three counts of illegal possession of explosives, two counts of attempted destruction of property using explosives, and conspiracy to commit felony.