Cyprus detains two Pakistanis after alert-source

NICOSIA, Mar 6 (Reuters) Authorities in Cyprus detained two Pakistanis last week after foreign intelligence reports of an imminent attack on the US or British embassy, security sources said today.

They confirmed a report of the arrest by the Phileleftheros newspaper but downplayed the incident, saying it appeared to be little more than a dispute between one individual trying to get another into trouble with authorities.

The newspaper said police were alerted by British intelligence on Friday, March 2. Neither government officials or diplomats in Cyrpus would comment on the report.

Two Pakistanis were detained and one of them had a forged passport, Phileleftheros said, adding police had been unable to verify they were planning to attack either diplomatic compound.

One security source described the information as ''grossly exaggerated''.

''There are tip offs all the time. It usually turns out to be an attempt to get an illegal immigrant into trouble. It's well known that that happens,'' the security source speaking on condition of anonymity told Reuters.

Attacks are rare on the island. The last international incident was in 1988 when a number of people died in a botched car bomb attack on the Israeli embassy in Nicosia.

Cypriot police routinely share intelligence with western agencies and fellow European Union members, and are known to keep a close watch on the thousands of students from Asian and West Asian countries on the island.

Citing security reasons in July 2004, Cyprus deported 10 Pakistani students, including what a security source then described as an expert on surface-to-air missiles, who had enrolled at a local college to study hotel management.

REUTERS MS RAI1846