Latest news with #Paphos
The Guardian
5 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
British man arrested for alleged terrorism offence and spying on RAF base in Cyprus
A British man has been arrested on suspicion of espionage and terrorism offences in Cyprus. He allegedly surveilled the RAF Akrotiri base on the island and is suspected of having links with Iran's Revolutionary Guards, local media reported. RAF Akrotiri is the UK's most important airbase for operations in the Middle East. The Philenews website said the man was arrested on Friday after intelligence he was planning an imminent terrorist attack. The man appeared before a district court on Saturday, which ordered he be detained for eight days pending inquiries, Reuters reported. Police told the news agency they would not be releasing further details, citing national security. He is alleged to have lived in a flat in Zakai, Limassol, close to Akrotiri, and was observed near the base carrying a camera with a long lens and three mobile phones. The suspect is also alleged to have had the Cyprus's Andreas Papandreou airbase, in the western region of Paphos, under surveillance since mid-April, the country's ANT1 news portal reported. Local reports suggested he was Azerbaijani but the UK Foreign Office said they were working with the authorities over the arrest of a Briton. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: 'We are in contact with the authorities in Cyprus regarding the arrest of a British man.'
Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Man is arrested 'for spying on British RAF base in Cyprus' as tension mounts over Israel-Iran war
Police in Cyprus have arrested a man who allegedly had an RAF base on the island 'under surveillance' on suspicion of terror-related offences and espionage, authorities said on Saturday. The individual appeared before a district court this morning amid rising tensions in the Israel-Iran war. The court ordered an eight-day detention pending inquiries. No further details would be issued, police said, citing national security reasons. Several Cypriot news outlets reported the suspect was a man of Azeri ethnic descent and had been arrested in the Zakaki suburb of the coastal city of Limassol. The suspect was thought to have had a British RAF military base in nearby Akrotiri under surveillance, as well as Cyprus's own Andreas Papandreou Air Base in the western region of Paphos since mid-April, Cyprus's ANT1 news portal reported. Cyprus lies very close to the Middle East and has in recent days been used as a transit point for people either leaving or going to the region amid a conflict between regional foes Israel and Iran. Terror-related offences on the island are very rare. 84 Squadron is based at the British RAF base in Akrotiri, with extra British Typhoon planes being sent to the island in recent weeks as tensions ratchet up across the Middle East.
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Telegraph
Is it safe to travel to Cyprus? Latest advice amid Iran-Israel conflict
Hotels in Cyprus are nearing capacity with diverted flight passengers, while tourists have been warned to expect a heightened police presence across the island as tensions rise in the Middle East. On Friday June 13, Israel launched a missile offensive targeting Iran's nuclear facilities and military generals. Iran quickly retaliated with a wave of ballistic missiles. Since the escalation of the conflict in the region, airspace in Israel has closed. As a result, dozens of flights due to land in Israel were redirected to Cyprus's airports on Friday, while flights from Cyprus bound for Israel have been cancelled. While Cyprus is not politically embroiled in the Israel/Iran conflict, simply by proxy of its geography the eastern Mediterranean island is on higher alert than other popular holiday islands. Here's everything you need to know. How has the Middle East conflict affected life in Cyprus? On Friday, 32 flights were diverted from Israel to Larnaca and Paphos, bringing roughly 2,400 passengers to the island. Israelis already on the island, who were due to travel home but face indefinite flight cancellations, have also been forced to find somewhere to stay. 'What I can confirm is that hotel occupancy is extremely high,' Christakis Kassianos, the Senior Deputy Ministry of Tourism, told local newspaper PhileNews. Hotels in Larnaca are now operating at more than 90 per cent capacity, according to the Cyprus Hotel Association, and occupancy is up in Paphos and Ayia Napa. In Paphos and Larnaca tourists can expect a heightened police presence including at the airports and at hotels housing Israeli nationals who are stranded in the country. Other popular tourist spots across the island, including Finikoudes and Mackenzie beaches, plus synagogues, face a heightened police presence, according to local reports. How far is Cyprus from the conflict zone? Cyprus is the most easterly Mediterranean island and sits approximately 200 miles from Tel Aviv in Israel. To put that into perspective, that is an equivalent distance as London to Blackpool or Paris to Nantes. Cyprus is even closer to Lebanon: Ayia Napa is just 110 miles from Beirut. Over the weekend, residents living in eastern Cyprus posted videos purporting to show missiles in the distance, heading towards Israel, and smoke floating over the Levantine Sea. The Telegraph is attempting to verify the videos. Could Cyprus be a target? Cyprus is politically neutral in the Middle East conflict. The island has never been targeted by missiles from its easterly neighbours, although in 2019 a missile believed to be from Syrian air defences accidentally crashed into a mountain in northern Cyprus. There were no casualties. Cyprus is the location of the UK's main military base in the region, at RAF Akoritiri, where a number of fighter jets are stationed. On Saturday, Iran said that it would target US, UK and French military bases if they were to step in to offer military assistance to Israel. What is the FCDO advice on travel to Cyprus? The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) does not have any travel advisories against going to Cyprus. This means that your travel insurance will remain valid if you travel to Cyprus, and tour operators are continuing with their itineraries as normal. On June 13 the FCDO updated its advice to Cyprus to warn of regional risks. It wrote: 'Ongoing hostilities in the region and between Israel and Iran could escalate quickly and pose security risks for the wider region. You should monitor local and international media for the latest information, be vigilant and follow the instructions of local authorities.' The FCDO issued similar warnings for Morocco and Tunisia. Is there a risk of terrorist attacks in Cyprus? The FCDO advises that while there's no recent history of terrorism in Cyprus, attacks 'cannot be ruled out'. It says: 'Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreign nationals.' Are flights and holidays still running to Cyprus? Yes, flights from the UK to Cyprus are running as usual. However, over the weekend a number of flights from Cyprus to Tel Aviv and Haifi in Israel were cancelled. Tour operators are carrying on with their itineraries as usual. While Cyprus has experienced some knock-on effects of the Middle East crisis – and talk of missiles in the distance and threats to British military bases are worrying – it is worth remembering that right now there are tens of thousands of holidaymakers enjoying peaceful and uninterrupted holidays on the island. What if I want to cancel my holiday? If you have booked a package holiday to Cyprus and want to cancel your trip for any reason, contact your tour operator and they might offer flexibility with alternative dates. But bear in mind that, because the Foreign Office has not issued any advice against travel to Cyprus, there is no guarantee you will receive a refund, nor will you be able to claim money back with your travel insurance company. If you have booked flights and accommodation independently, and wish to cancel your holiday, contact your travel providers as soon as possible to see if you can rearrange your plans. Note, however, that given the circumstances, it is unlikely you will receive a full or even partial refund.
Asharq Al-Awsat
6 days ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
100,000 Israelis Stranded Abroad, Authorities Warn They Should Not Return by Land
Around 100,000 Israelis remain stranded abroad as Israel's airspace stayed closed amid its ongoing strikes on Iran. Authorities in Tel Aviv fear Iran or its proxies could target them, warning them against returning via Jordan or Egypt's Sinai amid growing regional tensions. On Sunday, Israel's Airports Authority also warned citizens overseas not to travel to regional hubs such as Larnaca, Cyprus, or Athens, Greece, hoping to catch a flight home. 'There is no recommendation for Israelis abroad to travel to these destinations at this stage,' the authority said in a statement, Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Sunday. Cyprus has stepped up security for Israeli tourists following concerns that Iran or its proxies could attempt to target them, the newspaper quoted Cypriot police as saying Sunday. Authorities have increased police patrols near synagogues, Chabad centers, and hotels where Israelis are staying, particularly in the cities of Paphos and Larnaca. Security measures were also boosted at the international airports in both cities and in crowded areas of Paphos, including the port, promenade, shopping districts and cafes. 'The heightened alert comes amid growing fears of Iranian retaliation following Israeli strikes on Iran last week,' the newspaper said. In 2023, Israeli officials said they foiled at least two Iranian plots to attack Israeli targets on the island. Thousands of Israelis have arrived in Cyprus in recent days from various locations abroad, seeking to stay as close to home as possible in case sea routes open to Israel. Tour guide David Azriel, based in Cyprus, said he has received hundreds of requests for assistance from Israelis dealing with shortages of money, medication and accommodation. 'I estimate there are at least 30,000 Israelis on the island right now,' Azriel said. 'The Cypriot authorities are on high alert and are doing everything they can to protect them.' Meanwhile, Israel's National Security Council issued a warning against attempts to return to Israel by land through Jordan or Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. 'Sinai and Jordan are both under Level 4 travel warnings, indicating a high threat level,' the council said. 'We strongly advise against traveling through these areas, particularly during this period of heightened tensions.' Meanwhile, the Transportation and Foreign Ministries said that once security officials authorize the reopening of the skies, flight volume will be limited and delays of several days are expected as operations resume. Travelers were advised to monitor updates from official sources. Yedioth Ahronoth said more than 100,000 are currently stranded overseas, while Israel's airspace remains shut to civilian flights until further notice. Shmuel Zakai, head of Israel's Civil Aviation Authority, told Israel's Channel 12 on Saturday that it will take 'weeks, not days' before all Israelis can be brought back.
Daily Mail
13-06-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Retired builder, 60, drowns in hotel pool while playing with grandchildren just hours before son's dream Cyprus wedding
A British grandfather died just hours before his son's wedding in Cyprus - after drowning in a hotel pool while playing with his grandchildren. John Fazackerley, from Cheshire, had flown to Paphos to watch his son Sean marry fiancée Vicky in a long-planned ceremony. But tragedy struck the day before the wedding when the retired builder, 60, failed to resurface during a game in the water with the youngsters. Guests rushed to help and performed CPR at the poolside at around 2.30pm on May 25. Sean, 30, claims resort staff struggled to locate a defibrillator - and when they finally did, none of them knew how to use it. He told MailOnline: 'We ended up finding it ourselves in a cupboard near reception, and a family member used it.' An ambulance arrived about 15 minutes later and took John to Paphos General Hospital - but the family say they weren't allowed to travel with him. In the days since his death, Sean and his family have launched a GoFundMe page to raise money to bring John's body home - saying they've been 'let down' by local authorities. John was taken to Paphos General Hospital, 15 minutes away from the beach side resort and the worried family followed along in a car. But Sean said when they arrived but was chaos and hotel staff demanded John's passport details which the family didn't have to hand because the documents were securely stored in a safe in the hotel room. As they tried to locate the passports, Sean told MailOnline how his mother, Julie, was the only one allowed in to the hospital with his father. Meanwhile the rest of the Fazackerley family were forced to sit outside on plastic chairs as they waited for news of their father. Sean said: 'We followed in a taxi and we had to register him with his passport details but it took time because my mum was in the hospital - she wasn't in the hotel and my dad had set the safe pin so we couldn't access it but the hospital wouldn't move forward until they had the passport details.' He added: 'We had to sit outside on chairs in the reception.' Sean went on to describe how the earth-shattering news of his father's death was delivered to the worried family and slammed the hospital for dealing with them so offhandedly. The IT manager said: 'We were called over and they said they couldn't save him but the door wasn't shut and it was in public so people could walk past and hear. Guests rushed to help John, performing CPR at the poolside before he was taken to the hospital where the family were told he had tragically died (John pictured with his wife Julie) 'We got five minutes with him and they just didn't treat us with any empathy.' Sean is now raising funds to bring his father home and confessed he is unsure when his father will be brought back in to the UK because of confusion over the postmortem from Cyprus. He said he feel forgotten and frustrated but has vowed to keep pursuing the Cypriot government and police. 'We feel forgotten, the way we have been treated, they only wanted to know about the funeral,' he explained. Despite the shock of his father's death, Sean decided to go ahead with the wedding to his fiancée and made sure to include a special tribute to John. He confessed that his father had been particularly excited for an ice cold beer following the ceremony and so in his honour they placed a family snap of John next to a cooler of beer and drank in his honour at the party. He said: 'We haven't had a funeral yet but we paid tribute to him in the wedding The one thing he said he was excited for was the bar and so we set up a picture of him next to an ice bucket full of beers so he was there with us'. Sean added that life without his father has been difficult, especially for his mother who has moved in with him and his new bride Vicky. 'Now we're just trying to support my mum and she's moved in with us for a bit,' Sean explained. He added that the doting grandfather is missed by the entire family and especially the grandchildren. Newly-married Sean said: 'He was a very family-orientated man and his final moments were with his grandkids, playing. 'He loved fishing and spending time with the grandkids and we miss him.'
