A Greek Cypriot army officer was sentenced to seven life sentences after being convicted of killing five foreign women and two children.
Nikos Mitaksas, 35, pleaded guilty Monday to 12 counts of kidnapping and killing five women and two children.
He apologized for the families of the victims and said he did not know why he committed hate crimes.
The first crime of its kind in Cyprus has caused a shock to the island community.
"People will ask how one of their compatriots came to this point, and I asked myself about myself, but I could not find an answer," Nikos told the court.
He said he was willing to help the authorities in their attempts to find an explanation for what had happened.
The verdict against Nikos, who appeared in court wearing a bulletproof vest, is the largest in the history of the Cypriot judicial system.
Nikos is not expected to resume the ruling.