Authorities in Cyprus believes that the target of a suspected assassin captured last week was not billionaire Israeli businessman Teddy Sagi, but rather senior partners in Sagi's company, and that the assassin was not deployed by Iran, the Cypriot news site philenews reported Wednesday.
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The latest report from Cyprus contradicts an announcement by a spokesman for Prime Minister Naftali Bennett that the incident had been an attempt by Iran to carry out a terrorist attack against Israelis in Cyprus.
The suspected assassin, an Azeri citizen aged 38, is still being questioned. Cypriot police officials told philenews that he was opting to remain silent rather than cooperate with police. According to the report, the suspect has admitted to renting two vehicles in the town of Ayia Napa, which documents confirm.
On Wednesday, the suspect was due to be brought before a court in Nicosa for a remand hearing, which was slated to take place behind closed doors. The Azeri man has hired a Nicosa-based attorney to represent him.
Philenews also reported that it appeared that the suspect is a resident of Turkish Cyprus. Local police think that he had at least four partners in the plot, but believe that they have already fled to Turkish territory after hearing that the Azeri had been arrested.
The Cypriot police think that the Azeri suspect was receiving help from Turkish Cyprus, which is where he reportedly secured the gun and silence he had on him at the time of his arrest.
Meanwhile, attempts were ongoing to crack the suspect's three cellphones and track his movements. The numbers he called in Turkish Cyprus will also be traced.
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