Cyprus detains man in Italy's abduction investigation

Cyprus police say an Israeli man has been arrested in Limassol in connection with an abduction of a minor, after Italy issued a red notice for the grandfather of a child who was the sole survivor in Italy’s cable car crash last summer.

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An official police report on Friday said a foreign national was arrested at a Limassol hotel on Thursday, when law enforcement officers acted on an Interpol red notice issued by Italy to Cyprus in connection with an abduction case of a 6-year-old boy, an Israeli-Italian dual citizen who was the sole survivor in a cable car crash last summer.

Police spokesperson Christos Andreou confirmed to Knews that the 50-year-old suspect was placed under arrest based on an Interpol warrant in connection with a case of abduction of a minor on 11 September 2021 still under investigation.

Knews has confirmed the suspect is connected with an investigation in Italy into the alleged abduction after the boy’s parents, brother and two great grandparents were killed in the accident, sparking a long and protracted custody battle between his surviving relatives in Italy and Israel.

A similar red notice had been sent to Israel regarding Shmuel Peleg, a 58-year-old man who allegedly picked up his grandson in Pavia, Italy, while the boy was in the custody of his aunt, with the case making headlines in Italy and Israel over a bitter custody battle between relatives in the two countries.

It was also reported that Peleg had gone to Pavia for a court-ordered visit before spiriting the boy out of the country on a private jet.

Reports say the suspect, a Cypriot resident who has not been named by police authorities, is an Israeli man accused of having been involved in chartering a plane to Israel, where a court last month ordered the boy returned to Italy.

"It breaks my heart. I promised him that he would live here with us, but the court ruled otherwise," Peleg told media earlier this week.