Cyprus Airport Security Alert

December 26, 2003

Cyprus Airport Security Alert
Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia


THE main international airport in Cyprus was put on heightened alert today 
following tips of a possible terrorist attack on US and British planes, 
Interior Minister Andreas Christou said.

"The alert concerned aircraft which use Larnaca airport or fly through Cyprus 
airspace," Christou said. 
Larnaca is the larger of two airports on the eastern Mediterranean island and 
handles the lion's share of approximately 2.5 million arrivals annually. 

And the Nicosia Flight Information Region covers an area stretching east to the 
Greek island of Rhodes across to Syria in the west and Egypt to the south. 

The minister said the message was received yesterday from foreign intelligence 
services and that police would remain on alert for as long as it was deemed 
necessary. 

Asked if the warning also referred to American and British land assets in 
Cyprus, Christou said information was specific to aircraft using the airport or 
en route to other destinations through the island's airspace. 

On a snap Christmas tour of the airport, Communications and Works Minister 
Kikis Kazamias said Cypriot authorities were appraising information about 
possible terrorist strikes on the island and specifically at airports. 

Kazamias said, however, that available information does not alarm authorities. 

It was unclear whether the alert was linked to yesterday's cancellation of six 
Air France flights out of Paris to Los Angeles. 


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