Police officers have been assaulted and threatened in the notorious Cretan village of Zoniana, the scene of a botched raid two years ago, in an incident that has been kept quiet for several weeks, sources told Sunday’s Kathimerini.

Three local police officers were allegedly beaten and threatened that they would be killed after they followed a pickup truck that had crashed into their vehicle and then drove off into the village.

The incident occurred on June 18 but authorities chose to keep it quiet, as there is already a highly tense atmosphere in the area since the trial of 42 locals began earlier this year in connection to the shooting of a police officer in November 2007. The policeman was left paralyzed after locals opened fire on officers.

Sources said that some of those who attacked the policemen last month are suspects in the ongoing trial.