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Court found Cypriot state criminally negligent in 2011 mammoth explosion

Xinhua, May 21, 2016 Adjust font size:

A court found the Cypriot state guilty of criminal negligence for its role in a massive explosion five years ago that killed 13 people and set off an economic crisis, according to a ruling transcript made available on Friday.

The court in the southeastern city of Larnaca said in its ruling the Republic of Cyprus had shown criminal negligence in its handling of a large quantity of explosives that went off at a naval base where they had been stacked.

The explosion of about 500 tons of munitions and military material occurred on July 11, 2011 at a naval base on the southern shores of Cyprus.

In addition to killing 13 firemen, policemen and conscripts who were trying to put out a blaze inside a container, the explosion knocked out Cyprus's brand new main power plant.

The destruction deepened a recession of the economy and forced the government to request bailout by the Eurogroup and the IMF in mid-2012.

The explosives were confiscated from a Russian ship, en route from Iran to Syria, for violating United Nations sanctions.

The court said those in charge of handling the explosives were negligent in stacking the 98 containers in the middle of the naval base, leaving them there for 2.5 years in scorching temperatures.

"The storage method was an essential element that over time further increased the risk (of explosion)" the court said.

"The Republic of Cyprus has shown criminal disregard for the lives of persons ...(It) grossly violated its obligation under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights to protect the lives of the victims," the court added.

An official investigation at the time found that then-President Demetris Christofias had refused to hand over the explosives to European Union experts because he was about to pay a visit to Syria.

A criminal court found former Defense Minister Costas Papacostas guilty of charges related to the explosion and sentenced him to five years in prison.

He died last year in hospital where he was being treated for a heart disease.

The families of three of the victims were awarded a total of 1.82 million euros (2.04 million U.S. dollars) in damages.

There are still 10 more actions before the court. Endit