 "Anti-terrorist unit's forensics officers search an apartment where a man was killed and a woman was seriously wounded in an explosion, in Athens, Greece, October 31, 2024. Reuters")
Greek authorities have charged three individuals with involvement in a terrorist organization following a bomb explosion in an Athens apartment that killed a 36-year-old man and left a woman seriously injured, police announced on Saturday (November 2).
The explosion took place on Thursday (October 31) while the bomb was allegedly being assembled, police said, leading anti-terrorism officials to suspect connections to anti-establishment guerrilla groups active in the country.
Who are the accused people?
The individuals accused in the case include the injured 33-year-old woman, who has been hospitalised in Athens since the blast, and a 31-year-old Greek man who testified to authorities on Friday (November 1) night before being formally arrested.
He is scheduled to appear before a prosecutor on Saturday. Reuters quoted police sources as revealing that the man admitted to being associated with the apartment.
However, he denied any involvement in the bomb’s assembly or detonation. He reportedly has a history of prior arrests, including one in Germany, the police said.
Authorities are also seeking a third suspect. This is a 30-year-old woman who is believed to have ties to the group.
Evidence collected from various searches includes two firearms, ammunition, mobile phones, digital storage devices, masks, wigs, and handwritten notes.
Impact Shorts
View AllInvestigators are continuing to analyse these items as they work to determine the group’s intended target. So far, details on that front are scant.
Rise in left-wing violence in Greece
In recent years, Greece has experienced occasional violence linked to left-wing and anarchist guerrilla groups, some of which emerged following the disbandment of the notorious November 17 group.
During Greece’s financial crisis from 2009 to 2018, small-scale bombings and arson attacks targeting politicians, police, judges, and businesses were common.
Although such incidents have since diminished, attacks still occur periodically. That continues to raise concerns about political extremism within the European country.
With inputs from agencies