Cyprus Police Investigate Israeli Owner’s ‘Spy’ Van

Cypriot police have confiscated a van reportedly loaded with sophisticated surveillance equipment. (AP)
Cypriot police have confiscated a van reportedly loaded with sophisticated surveillance equipment. (AP)
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Cyprus Police Investigate Israeli Owner’s ‘Spy’ Van

Cypriot police have confiscated a van reportedly loaded with sophisticated surveillance equipment. (AP)
Cypriot police have confiscated a van reportedly loaded with sophisticated surveillance equipment. (AP)

Cypriot police have confiscated a van reportedly loaded with sophisticated surveillance equipment and have questioned its Israeli owner following media reports that the vehicle was being hired out to spy on people.

Police said Saturday that officers also searched the office of the Israeli’s Cyprus-registered company that is being investigated on possible violations of privacy rights laws, reported The Associated Press.

Police chief Kypros Michaelides told private radio station Astra that authorities are also questioning the Larnaca-based company’s other Cypriot shareholders and are looking into how this van and other surveillance equipment was imported into the country.

The police probe was initiated after local media highlighted an earlier Forbes report on the Israeli it identified as a former intelligence officer who showed off the $9 million van’s spying capabilities.



Israel Says it Has Secured $8.7 Billion US Aid Package

A worker is raised on a forklift at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted an apartment on al-Qaem street in Beirut's southern suburbs on September 26, 2024. (Photo by Ibrahim AMRO / AFP)
A worker is raised on a forklift at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted an apartment on al-Qaem street in Beirut's southern suburbs on September 26, 2024. (Photo by Ibrahim AMRO / AFP)
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Israel Says it Has Secured $8.7 Billion US Aid Package

A worker is raised on a forklift at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted an apartment on al-Qaem street in Beirut's southern suburbs on September 26, 2024. (Photo by Ibrahim AMRO / AFP)
A worker is raised on a forklift at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted an apartment on al-Qaem street in Beirut's southern suburbs on September 26, 2024. (Photo by Ibrahim AMRO / AFP)

Israel said on Thursday it had secured an $8.7 billion aid package from the United States package to support its ongoing military efforts.

The package includes $3.5 billion for essential wartime procurement, which has already been received and earmarked for critical military purchases, and $5.2 billion designated for air defense systems including the Iron Dome anti-missile system and an advanced laser system.

Israel is currently fighting on two fronts, against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.