Cypriot authorities arrest suspected ISIL operative

Cypriot security authorities arrested a foreigner on Monday of suspicion that he was acting on behalf of Islamist jihadists in Syria.

A police spokesman said the man is being questioned in connection with the export of two pickup cars for use by forces of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) engaged in fighting with government forces in Syria.

The name and the nationality of the 37 year old man were not revealed.

The spokesman said the man is alleged to have driven the two pickup cars into northern Cyprus and from there he shipped them to Turkey to be driven into jihadist-held territory in Syria.

Several pickup cars with Cypriot registration plates on which machine guns were mounted were seen on YouTube videos being used by jihadist forces in fighting in Syria.

The northern region of Cyprus was occupied by Turkish forces in 1974, in response to a coup by Greek army officers.

Foreign diplomats speaking on condition of anonymity have said that the northern part of Cyprus is being used as a stepping stone for people from western countries wishing to join the ISIL.

They said people fly to the government controlled part of the eastern Mediterranean island so as not to raise suspicion. They cross into northern Cyprus and then fly to Turkey and from there they cross either into Syria or Iraq.

A Cypriot security source said authorities are worried by the frequent incidents of shipping Cypriot registered cars to the ISIL forces as this may mean that terrorist cells may be active on the island.

But the police spokesman said that investigations are still at a very early stage and no evidence has been found yet connecting the suspect with terrorist organizations. Endit