Cyprus | Bomb explodes in Limassol primary school

Defence Redefined

Published on 02/12/2021 at 14:00

An explosive device exploded early this morning at “Polykarpou Vlachou” Primary School in Zakaki, with a second explosive device having been located by the Police at the scene.

According to the Limassol Police Department, the explosion took place at 01:35, and following the on-site pyrotechnician investigation, it was found that it was due to the detonation of an improvised cylindrical metal object, which was placed at the entrance of a classroom near the school main entrance.

Following further investigations in the area, a second explosive device was located, which did not explode and was collected for forensic investigation. The explosion damaged the classroom door, windows, and equipment as well as the windows of the St. Barbara church, located opposite the school. The investigations of the Limassol Police Department are ongoing, while the school will remain closed today.

The criminal action against the Zakaki Primary School is condemnable, says the Parents’ Association, while the investigations of the police continue in order to determine the motives of the perpetrators who placed the two explosive devices, with only one exploding.

“We condemn any criminal act and it is sad that you come to school in the morning, the bell rings and you do not see any children coming into the classroom,” said the President of the Parents’ Association of the Zakaki Primary School, Michalis Savvidis.

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In his statements, Mr. Savvidis said that no one knows the reason for the placement of explosive devices in the school, nor whether it is related to the protests of parents about the new restrictive measures in primary schools.

“We have not had any issues in the last few days, the situation at our school was calm,” he said, ruling out the involvement of parents whose children attend the Zakaki Primary School.

Nonetheless, as the deputy spokesperson of the Limassol Central Police Station, Marinos Vassiliou, stated, “today at 1.30 there was an explosion at the entrance of a classroom of the Zakaki Primary School.”

“Members of the Police arrived at the scene where they neutralized the bomb and carried out the required investigations,” he said, adding that “as it turned out, the explosion was due to a metal cylindrical explosive device, which was placed at the entrance of a classroom.”

The blast, he continued, caused extensive damage to both the classroom and the windows of the St. Barbara church, opposite the school.

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During the investigations, a second metal cylindrical object was located, which detonated but did not explode and is expected, through forensic investigations, to give some answers regarding the perpetrators.

Asked whether the second explosive device was larger than the one exploded, Mr. Vassiliou replied that “it seems that the cylindrical object is large, but we cannot estimate the damage it could cause if it eventually exploded.”

The investigations, he pointed out, are in the initial stages, CCTVs will be monitored, the neighbors’ testimonies will be evaluated and the necessary forensic investigations of the evidence that has been identified will be carried out.

Source: euronews.gr

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