Tassos Papadopoulos: grave's Greek flag desecrated

A very good friend, Moutsakos, just sent me the link for the Cyprus News Agency (CNA [KYPE]) report that unknown people desecrated Greek Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos's grave's Greek flag:

Unknown people took down and threw away the Greek flag that flew together with the Cypriot at the grave of President [Tassos] Papadopoulos.

[Άγνωστοι κατέβασαν και πέταξαν την ελληνική σημαία που κυμάτιζε μαζί με την κυπριακή στον τάφο του τέως Προέδρου της Δημοκρατίας, Τάσσου Παπαδόπουλου.]

Police from the personal guard of the family of the former president (αστυνομικοί της προσωπικής φρουράς της οικογένειας του τέως Προέδρου) found the flag behind the cemetery perimeter wall (το περιτοίχισμα του κοιμητηρίου) at about 8am.

The police 'do not exclude the possibility [δεν αποκλείει το ενδεχόμενο]' that the desecration of Papadopoulos's grave's Greek flag could 'be linked with the theft of his remains [να συνδέεται με την κλοπή του λειψάνου του]'.

It is possible that the desecration of the flag is not linked to the theft of the body, but it's not likely; however, there are two very different possible links.

Unknown people specifically and solely cut down the Greek flag, and left the Cypriot flag flying. It may have been another act of provocation by the thieves of the body; or it may have been an anti-nationalist protest.

If it were a provocation, it would affirm the suspicion that the grave robbers were Greek Cypriot nationalist extremists conducting a false flag operation, because it was done quickly in-between frequent but irregular police visits to the grave. The local Greek Cypriot villagers would have noticed loitering Turkish Cypriot nationalist extremists.

If the desecration of the flag were a Greek Cypriot anti-nationalist protest, it might have been partly caused by the theft of the body, because it made the grave a significant site of political struggle. It would certainly have been partly inspired by the nationalist rhetoric and propaganda about the grave robbery.

[10.45pm, 10th March 2010 update: the grave robbery has been solved: Tassos Papadopoulos's body was stolen for ransom.]

Cyprus News Agency (CNA). 2010: "They took down the Greek flag that flew over the grave of former President T. Papadopoulos". Phileleftheros, 8th January. Available at: http://www.philenews.com/main/1,1,22,0,25954-.aspx

Kypriako Praktoreio Eidiseon. 2010: "Katebasan tin elliniki simaia pou kymatize ston tafo tou teos Proedrou T. Papadopoulou". Fileleftheros, 8i Ianouariou. Brisketai sto: http://www.philenews.com/main/1,1,22,0,25954-.aspx.

[Κυπριακό Πρακτορείο Ειδήσεων (ΚΥΠΕ). 2010: "Κατέβασαν την ελληνική σημαία που κυμάτιζε στον τάφο του τέως Προέδρου Τ. Παπαδόπουλου". Φιλελεύθερος, 8η Ιανουαρίου. Βρίσκεται στο: http://www.philenews.com/main/1,1,22,0,25954-.aspx]