Twenty-six suspected Kurdish militants detained, weaponry seized in counterterrorism sweep
Greece’s anti-terrorism service detained 26 people and seized heavy weaponry including anti-tank arms in a large, ongoing counterterrorism operation in central Athens on Thursday to dismantle a suspected far-leftist militant group, police sources cited by state-run news agency ANA-MPA said.
Officers believe the suspects are members of the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP-C), an outlawed group blamed for attacks and suicide bombings in Turkey, the report said.
The ongoing raid included a house on Avlonos Street in the district of Sepolia and the offices of a rights committee for Kurds, called Solidarity Committee for Political Prisoners in Turkey and Kurdistan, housed in Tzavella Street in Exarcheia.
Nine of the suspects were detained in Sepolia and 17 in Exarcheia, while officers have also discovered a tunnel with stashed weaponry, police said. All 26 are being held in the Greek Police headquarters (GADA).
Greek Police (ELAS) is expected to make an announcement when the operation is complete.