Cyprus arrests eight on suspicion of terrorism funding, say police

Police in Cyprus on Thursday detained eight individuals for questioning on allegations they were involved in raising funds for a designated terrorist group in a third country, authorities said.

The suspects, seven men and a woman, all from Syria, were arrested in morning raids by police in the towns of Limassol and Paphos. There was no indication the suspects were plotting attacks themselves and police declined to name the group or where it was based.

"There is absolutely no information these individuals were planning any terror attack in Cyprus. It's purely (related to) issues of financing a specific terrorist group based in a third country," police spokesperson Christos Andreou told Cyprus's ANT1 TV channel.

One issue under scrutiny was whether funds were raised from dealing in illicit narcotics and psychotropic substances, he said.