Last updated: 11 december, 2009 - 17:28 GMT
Cyprus ex-president's grave robbed
Police and forensics experts have been searching the grave and its surroundings
Thieves have opened the grave of the former President of Cyprus, Tassos Papadopoulos, and stolen his body.
Mr Papadopoulos was president of Cyprus from 2003-2008
The robbers are thought to have lifted a marble slab weighing 250kg, then unearthed the coffin and removed the corpse.
The incident occurred a day before the first anniversary of Mr Papadopoulos' death.
The desecration was discovered by one of Mr Papadopoulos' former guards who lights a candle in the cemetery every morning, according to the official Cyprus News Agency.
John Leonidou is a reporter with Cyprus Weekly in Nicosia.
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First broadcast 11 December 2009
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