("Cyprus on Friday formally charged two "Israeli" nationals with spying for an unnamed foreign country on the militarily divided eastern Mediterranean island. In a case which has strained Cyprus-"Israel" relations, Udi Hargov, 37, and Igal Damary, 49, were accused of conspiracy to spy and possession of banned listening equipment. The two countries enjoy close relations, but, in an indication of how determined Cyprus is to clear the case up, the court in the southern port of Larnaca on Friday rejected an official request from the "Israeli" government to release the suspects on bail in the care of the "Israeli" embassy in Nicosia. "With the intent of harming the safety or the interests of the Cyprus Republic, the accused collected information on the defense of the republic and passed this information on to a foreign country," an investigating officer told the court. Defense lawyers had brought the consul at the "Israeli" embassy, Michel Harel, to vouch for the two suspects. "As a representative of the "Israeli" embassy and the state of "Israel", we undertake the obligation that the two suspects appear in the court whenever requested," Harel told the court. The request was hotly contested by public prosecutors, who expressed concern that the accused could take flight (…). Judge Tefkros Economou sided with prosecutors. "Under the circumstances and with all respect to the consul of "Israel" and his good intent, the purpose can be secured only through detention by Cyprus authorities," he said. "Israel" has denied the two men were working against Cyprus or for Turkey, which invaded northern Cyprus in 1974 after a brief Greek-inspired coup. The two suspects were arrested at a village on the island's southern coast on November 7 after reports of suspect "Israeli" activity in the area. Police said high-tech listening equipment was found at their rented apartment, tuned in to police radio frequencies."

"Spying carries a maximum sentence upon conviction of 10 years in prison under Cyprus law. The two suspects were not obliged to answer the charges, which were translated to them in Hebrew from Greek by an interpreter. Standing at the dock in court on Friday, they just nodded when asked if they understood the accusations. Police said the alleged offences were committed between October 15 and November 6. The first date refers to another visit of the pair to Cyprus, during a large-scale military exercise with Greek and Cypriot armed forces. The region is said to be militarily sensitive and is suspected of being the site of a new Cypriot naval base. The case has fanned imaginations on the island, with media speculation ranging from the "Israelis" being spies for Turkey, to them snooping on the military in an attempt to gauge when the island will take delivery of a purchase of surface-to-air missiles from Russia. Turkey has vowed to prevent deployment of the missiles, the arrival date of which is a closely guarded secret."