Cyprus leader's body is stolen from grave

Grave robbers have stolen the corpse of former Cypriot president Tassos Papadopoulos.

Mounds of fresh earth lay by his grave today in a cemetery in Deftera, a south-western suburb of the capital, Nicosia. Police cordoned off the area. The motive for the violation is unclear.

Tomorrow is the first anniversary of the death of Mr Papadopoulos, who was president from 2003 until February last year.

Senior politicians expressed their shock and outrage. Andros Kyprianou, secretary general of the ruling AKEL party, said: "What happened is macabre and condemnable. I am still trying to comprehend what kind of warped minds could even think of doing such a thing, let alone actually carry it out.

"This is a perverse act that will sicken society in Cyprus. It is my hope that those responsible will be caught and made an example of."

Kypros Chrysostomides, who was justice minister under Mr Papadopoulos, condemned the "barbarous" act: "I cannot understand why somebody would want to do such a thing. Such acts only do damage to Cyprus."

Mr Papadopoulos, who died from lung cancer aged 74, brought the island into the European Union in 2004 after rallying Greek Cypriots to reject a United Nations reunification deal with the Turkish north. He lost last year's presidential election to Demetris Christofias.

He was a leader of the Greek Cypriot guerrilla group Eoka and was the youngest cabinet minister at 26 in the first government after independence from Britain.