Kalo Chorio, Cyprus. Drone footage from a shooting range in Kalo Chorio shows 13.6 kilograms of TNT in place shortly before it was reported missing, according to reports on Wednesday. Police believe the material was taken within an hour on Thursday afternoon.
Drone footage narrows timeline
News website Alpha reported that the footage shows the TNT in place at around 2pm on Thursday. Police now believe the material was taken between 2pm and 3pm.
Possible theft and safety warnings
Alpha reported that police believe the material was either stolen and that the explosives are in the hands of criminals, or that it was collected by metal detectors.
The defence ministry informed factory operators to take additional safety measures and to be particularly careful in case the explosives have appeared in their factories. The ministry said the missing quantity of TNT poses a great risk to human lives if detonated.
Questioning and parallel interrogations
Police spokesman Christodoulos Konsolos said on Tuesday that people involved in firing exercises at Kalo Chorio and people related to explosives are being called in for questioning.
Defence ministry spokesman Christos Pieris told the Cyprus News Agency that the ministry is conducting its own interrogations and is awaiting the outcome of those interrogations and investigations carried out by the police.
How the disappearance was discovered
The TNT was reported missing on Friday. Officials said the material had been left at the site for a scheduled controlled detonation set to take place on Thursday, but which failed to occur.
When personnel visited the site later in the day, they found that the TNT was not there. Initial suggestions that the material may have been detonated without its use being recorded were dismissed, with the case treated as a possible theft by both the police and the defence ministry.
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