Police seek seventh suspect in Xiourouppas murder plot investigation

Police are searching for a seventh person in connection with the alleged plot to murder Giorgos Xiourouppas in Limassol, while also investigating claims that two other businessmen may have been targeted in separate assassination plans. According to a report published by Reporter on Thursday, investigators are still trying to corroborate key witness accounts, despite police having described the case as a major blow against organised crime. Four suspects, aged 32, 36, 48 and 70, have been arrested, while two other men believed to be abroad remain wanted. The seventh person being sought allegedly delivered a second detonator after an initial attempt to prepare an explosive device failed. Related Articles • Dubai financier behind €800,000 car bomb assassination plot in Limassol A central development concerns the changing account of the 70-year-old suspect, who initially alerted police and Xiourouppas to the alleged assassination plan. According to evidence presented in court, the man, who knew Xiourouppas from their time in prison, allegedly received approximately 820 grammes of Semtex explosives from the 32-year-old suspect and was asked to connect the device to a detonator and remote control. He reportedly disabled the detonator after learning that Xiourouppas was the intended target. When another detonator was subsequently delivered, he allegedly disabled that one too. However according to Reporter the 70-year-old’s position changed during questioning; although he initially provided information implicating other suspects, he declined to repeat those allegations in detail in a subsequent formal statement after consulting his lawyer. Asked about a visit to Xiourouppas’ home, he reportedly claimed he had gone there to take measurements for railings. Investigators are seeking further evidence to establish the involvement of those implicated, as some of the allegations currently rely on information passed to police through Xiourouppas rather than direct testimony from the 70-year-old. Another key figure is a 36-year-old Bulgarian suspect, who allegedly had been recruited to place an explosive device beneath Xiourouppas’ vehicle and detonate it remotely. The man, who previously worked for Xiourouppas, reportedly told investigators that a wanted suspect based in Dubai had offered substantial financial incentives for his participation. He claimed to have received €15,400 through Revolut and a further €2,000 to €3,000 in cash, as well as promises of financial support for his daughter and assistance with obtaining legal residence documents. According to his account, he initially agreed to participate but later decided against carrying out the attack and warned Xiourouppas. The 36-year-old has been cooperating with investigators and could potentially become a prosecution witness. Parts of his account have reportedly been supported by witnesses who were present when he described the alleged plot. He also identified the two wanted individuals during police photographic identification procedures. Meanwhile, investigators are examining allegations concerning two other possible assassination targets in Limassol. According to Xiourouppas’ statement, a 48-year-old suspect allegedly told him during a telephone conversation that the explosives were not intended for Xiourouppas but consisted of two separate devices weighing 409 grammes each, destined for two businessmen. Police are investigating whether these claims point to additional planned murders or whether the information was intended to mislead Xiourouppas. Crucially, the explosive devices referred to in the investigation have not been recovered, according to Reporter. The investigation remains ongoing, with police seeking additional testimony and evidence to substantiate the allegations and establish the precise roles of those involved. Police relayed to the Nicosia district court on Wednesday that an alleged €800,000 contract to assassinate former convict Giorgos Xiourouppas in his car in Limassol was financed from the United Arab Emirates. Xiourouppas was convicted of murder in 2016 and released on licence in 2024, having served eight years of a 20-year prison sentence.