An Israeli-American professor in Cyprus wanted by US goes missing

An Israeli-American professor Gal Luft who was released on bail while a Larnaca district court deliberated on his extradition to the US where he is wanted for arms trafficking charges has gone missing in Cyprus.

Greek Cypriot police on Thursday said he has probably left the country entirely considering his abandoned vehicle was discovered near a crossing point between north and south Cyprus.

According to Philenews, insiders said on March 28, Luft did not appear at the Paphos police station as required. On the same day, his lawyer declared Luft a missing person and expressed concern for his client’s life.

Luft, co-director of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security, was released on bail in March after his arrest at Larnaca International Airport.

Interpol had issued an arrest warrant against him on suspicion of arms trafficking to Libya and China. He was then slated for extradition to the United States.

The Larnaca District Court released him while deliberating on the US extradition request after it ordered him to pay €150,000 as a guarantee, to put up another €250,000 with a guarantor, and to present himself at the central police station of Paphos, where he lived at the time, at regular intervals.

Luft has maintained that his arrest is politically motivated because he accused Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, of having a mole in the FBI which he used to illegally provide classified information to his Chinese business partners.

In-Cyprus