Two bomb attacks in the capital have authorities on their toes, fearing one might be part of a brewing feud, as police pick up possible links to a recent gangland killing.
The first explosion occurred on a pavement outside a café of a well-known franchise.
It is close to a nightclub that was recently owned by Alexis Mavromichalis, who was murdered on October 31, making authorities ponder whether the two incidents are connected.
Someone else previously owned the nightclub before passing into Mavromichalis’ hands.
Recently, it was sold to a third party, against whom shots had also been fired recently, according to local media.
Since that shooting incident, the establishment has remained closed.
The investigation is now focusing on whether the explosive device placed on the opposite pavement was intended for this particular establishment.
According to the police, the explosion occurred around 4:10 am Thursday outside a café in the centre of Nicosia.
The explosive device damaged the pavement and a window of a nightclub across from the café.
Members of the Nicosia Criminal Investigations Department are conducting investigations.
Meanwhile, the owner of another café in Lakatamia discovered that they had fallen victim to bombers.
The explosive device was placed outside a café on Archbishop Makarios Street in Lakatamia on Wednesday. Police cordoned off the scene at first light for further investigations.
A police official, quoted by Phileleftheros daily, ruled out the possibility that the two criminal acts are connected, but examinations will be conducted to determine whether the explosive devices used can be linked to each other.
Law enforcement is still grappling with the motives behind two separate gangland killings that occurred just 37 hours apart in late October.
The victims, Thanasis Kalogeropoulos, 55, and Alexis Mavromichalis, 45, were not only known to each other but had also played pivotal roles as witnesses in previous gangland murders.
Kalogeropoulos was gunned down on October 30 in broad daylight on a busy beachside Limassol avenue, having been shot ten times.
Mavromichalis was assassinated on October 31 by a sniper while on the balcony of his Nicosia apartment.
Four men, aged 44, 41, 22 and 21, have been arrested in connection to Kalogeropoulos murder in Limassol.
The 41-year-old, who is the alleged shooter and a 44-year-old who allegedly sheltered him were arrested first and are being held pending trial on January 23.
