Antiterrorism raids result in three detentions and confiscation of weapons, explosives

An antiterrorism sweep ongoing by Greek authorities since Friday afternoon resulted in raids of 13 homes and the roundup of 15 individuals being questioned by the Counterterrorism Service.

To midday Saturday, of the individuals being questioned, two men aged 41 and 45 have been detained for terrorist acts, possession of explosives, violating the law on arms and tampering with official documents. A third man, 46, is being sought on similar charges, while a woman, 39, is being held for violating the law on arms.

Greek police headquarters announced that people held appeared to be involved in a break-in of a store that sold entertainment and technology games in Holargos on October 21. The 41-year-old man was arrested by the Counterterrorism Service in 2010 for membership in the terrorist group "Revolutionary Struggle" (Epanastatikos Agonas) and served a jail sentence until February 12, 2018. He was on remand for the rest of his sentence, which was 3 years, 6 months and 26 days and obliged to remain within the law for five years following his release.

Authorities confiscated from raided homes, among others, 5 Kalashnikov-type guns, a submachine gun, 4 hand grenades with CS gas fillers, 17 detonators (9 of them remote-controlled), and various explosives including gelatin.

Mitsotakis congratulates counterterrorism services for successful raids 

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis congratulated the Counterterrorism Service, the Hellenic Police and the Citizen Protection Ministry "for their great success" in a sweep that resulted in the detention of three people and the confiscation of weapons following home raids.

"I want to congratulate the Counterterrorism Service, the Hellenic Police and the Citizen Protection Ministry for their great success", the premier said to the press. "I would like to repeat once again my commitment that we will put a final and irrevocable end to the issue of domestic Greek terrorism".