Cyprus in hunt for Russian spy suspect

THE authorities in Cyprus stepped up their search yesterday for the 11th alleged member of a Russian spy ring who vanished after skipping bail, but police refused to answer questions about why the suspect was granted bail in the first place.
By The Newsroom
Published 1st Jul 2010, 23:06 BST
Updated 1st Jul 2010, 23:06 BST

Police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos said police had "no indications yet" that 54-year-old Christopher Robert Metsos had left the island or crossed over into its breakaway northern Turkish sector.

Metsos, who says he is Canadian, is wanted in the US on charges that he supplied money to the spy ring that operated under deep cover in America's suburbs. He was arrested on Tuesday in Cyprus as he tried to board a flight for Budapest, Hungary, but a Cypriot judge freed him on 27,000 euro (22,232) bail. Metsos failed to show up on Wednesday for a required meeting with police.

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The police spokesman deflected criticism yesterday regarding Metsos's release by the Cypriot court.

"The nagging question of why he was released on bail is best posed to the court, not the police," Mr Katsounotos said.

Metsos could have slipped into the Turkish Cypriot north of the island, which is recognised only by Turkey and has no formal extradition treaties with other countries. The north is linked to Turkey by an airport and ferry services, and ferries also run to Lebanon and Syria.

Turkey is bound by Interpol warrants, although northern Cyprus is not. In 1993, businessman Asil Nadir jumped bail and fled Britain for northern Cyprus, where he still resides.

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Mr Katsounotos said Metsos arrived on the island on June 17.

Authorities received the Interpol arrest warrant on June 25.

A Turkish Interior Ministry official said today he had no information about any search warrant for Metsos, but if one was issued, Turkish police at airports and ports would be on the lookout for him.

About 25 flights take off daily from northern Cyprus to more than half a dozen Turkish cities.

Turkey's Mediterranean coast is 960 miles long, making it difficult to control, but Turkish authorities frequently intercept illegal migrants who are trying to sneak in.

Related topics:CyprusTurkeyInterpol