Palestinian national deported from Indonesia to Cyprus following arrest

Abdul Karim Raed Miqdad, a 41-year-old Palestinian, was arrested in Indonesia on June 16 and deported to Cyprus the following day based on an Interpol Red Notice issued through Nicosia. Cypriot authorities allege that Miqdad was the mastermind behind a network planning attacks against Israeli interests, claiming he provided instructions for manufacturing explosives while residing in Malaysia. Three other individuals are currently on trial in Cyprus, and a fourth suspect was arrested in Crete in early June in connection with the same case. The Geneva Council for Rights and Liberties has expressed concern over the rapid 24-hour deportation process, arguing that the legal documentation lacked specific evidence or clear charges. The organization raised alarms that this transfer might lead to Miqdad’s subsequent extradition to Israel, a concern fueled by his family’s claims that the prosecution is politically motivated due to his activism. Rights groups have urged the Republic of Cyprus to conduct an independent judicial review before taking any further action. In contrast, local reports frame the arrest as a critical step in dismantling a planned terror cell.