Police arrest Syrian terrorist suspect in northern Greece
A 32-year-old man from Syria was being questioned by police in Alexandroupoli on Friday on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activity following his arrest in the northeastern city on Thursday.
Greek authorities were led to his arrest by his wife who reported him for alleged domestic abuse in September and then subsequently accused him of being a terrorist.
The family had reached Greece last year, arriving on the Aegean island of Leros in June 2016. They have been living in Thessaloniki at a refugee camp but also had a flat in Athens, according to media reports.
Police had been monitoring him and arrested him on Thursday in Alexandroupoli where he had gone to monitor his application for asylum in Greece.
According to sources, the 32-year-old had also claimed to have been involved in militant groups in Syria as part of a bid to secure asylum. It remains unclear whether he is indeed involved in such groups but police sources indicated that he was not regarded as high risk.
The 32-year-old attempted to take his own life in a police cell following his arrest in Alexandroupoli, according to reports, and was briefly hospitalized for shocked but was said to be unharmed. He was expected to be taken to a prosecutor later on Friday.
Skai radio reported that police has discovered a cellphone of his at his flat in Athens, containing photographs of him holding various types of weapons.
