Tavern bomb suspect remanded by Nicosia court

A 36-year-old bomb suspect has been remanded in custody for four days in connection with a double attack last week that targeted a Nicosia pub and the owner’s residence.

Police believe the suspect was attempting to scare off the pub owner, a 46-year-old male who reportedly got the business under his management a week prior to the attack.

Last Friday, at 6:35am, authorities received a call regarding a blast at a pub in Strovolos, which caused damages to the entrance door and the façade of the building. Investigators who rushed to the scene determined that the blast was caused by a low explosive.

A day later, on Saturday morning around 9:30am, a hand granade was also thrown outside the residence of the pub owner but it failed to explode. Officers form the bomb squad deactivated the explosive without an incident.

A lighthearted response followed the attacks, with management writing on Facebook "Bam Boom, it's all good!!! This Friday-Saturday will be EXPLOSIVE at Vareladika. We are waiting for you."

Bomb attacks against establishments and business interests have been taking place for decades in Cyprus, typically outside working hours and without human casualties. A number of fires targeting local haunts and shops have also taken place in the area.

It has not yet been made clear whether the Strovolos attack was business-related, personal, or otherwise. Police are carrying on with the investigation while the suspect is currently facing charges of destruction of private property and using illegal explosives.