Cyprus Releases Israeli Spies

Two Israelis jailed in a spy case were set free Thursday after serving only five months of a three-year term.

Deputy Attorney General Nicos Charalambous said their release was approved by President Glafcos Clerides following a recommendation for clemency by the attorney general.

A government statement said Clerides' decision was Â"based on the national interest of Cyprus. The continuing detention of the two men would no longer serve the national interest.Â"

Cyprus has been under strong Israeli pressure to release the two men. Israel has admitted the two were agents of its Mossad intelligence agency.

The Cypriot government statement said Â"this gesture toward the friendly and neighboring state of IsraelÂ" was linked to the coming to power of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak last month.

In Israel, an official confirmed the release of Udi Hargov, 37, and Igal Damary, 49.

The two men had pleaded guilty to a charge of approaching a prohibited military area near Ziyi in southern Cyprus and were sentenced to three years. They were also sentenced to a concurrent jail term of six months for possessing wireless scanning equipment without a license.

The admitted to the lesser charges after the prosecution dropped charges of conspiracy and espionage in an apparent plea bargain deal.

A chartered Israeli jet took off at midday from Larnaca airport. Airport sources would not say whether the two were on board.

The two Israelis were arrested in November near an army camp at a time when Cyprus was expected to deploy a battery of Russian S-300 missiles in the region.

The arrest severely strained relations with Israel, whose growing military cooperation with arch-foeTurkey has become a source of serious concern to Cyprus.

Written by Alex Efty
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