Cyprus ex-president is remembered after tomb raid

A sombre memorial service was held yesterday for Cyprus's former president, Tassos Papadopoulos, a day after thieves stole his remains from his grave in a crime that shocked the Mediterranean island.

Tomb raiders used the cover of darkness, a heavy thunderstorm and a power cut to dig up the ex-president and steal his body without leaving any clues behind them.

Despite their outrage, the Papadopoulos family insisted the memorial service go ahead as planned a year after the president died of lung cancer at age 74.

Archbishop Chrysostomos II, head of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, led the service at St Nicholas church in suburban Deftera and the vandalised grave site in the same village was also blessed.

"Those who committed this folly have achieved nothing. Tassos has not disappeared. He is still with us," the archbishop told reporters after the service.

"I do not believe our people would ever allow such behaviour to happen... Let the axe come down hard on those fools."

Hundreds of citizens and politicians paid their respects at other churches across the island to mark the anniversary. Three people were questioned last Friday in connection with the incident but later released without charge. Reports say they were questioned after a military vehicle was spotted outside the cemetery.

Although police have little to go on, yesterday's Phileleftheros daily said there are two scenarios the authorities are looking at.

One involves the possibility of an extremist group having a hand in the macabre incident for the sole purpose of stirring up trouble and sidetracking the peace process.

The other is that the crime could be the work of professional tomb raiders seeking a ransom from the family.