Body of former Cyprus president stolen from grave

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Grave robbers stole the corpse of former hard-line Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos, digging up his coffin during a thunderstorm just before the first anniversary of his death, police said Friday.

The body-snatching horrified people in Cyprus and came as the island’s Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders are locked in complex reunification talks that have made limited progress.

Police said the tomb raiders struck late Thursday or early Friday. There was no immediate indication of a motive.

Police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos said three people were detained for questioning but released without charge. He gave no more details.

President Demetris Christofias, who beat Papadopoulos in March 2008 elections, urged Cypriots “to remain calm in the face of this provocative act.”

“This is an unacceptable, unholy, unethical and condemnable act that damages our tradition, our culture and our respect toward the dead,” Christofias said.

Papadopoulos is seen by some nationalist Greek Cypriots as a symbol of resistance against peace deals they believe have been weighted against them.

“What happened is macabre and utterly condemnable. I am honestly still trying to comprehend what kind of warped minds could even think of doing such a thing, let alone actually carry it out,” said Andros Kyprianou, the head of Cyprus’ ruling AKEL party.

Mounds of fresh earth were piled by the fenced-off grave site Friday at the Deftera Village Cemetery as about 80 police and two pathologists combed the area and nearby fields for clues.

The robbers had removed a heavy marble plaque from on top of the grave, police said, digging down to the coffin and taking the body of Papadopoulos, who died of lung cancer Dec. 12, 2008, at 74.