Another four members of the judiciary were suspended and two more faced criminal and disciplinary charges yesterday as the probe into an alleged trial-fixing ring involving judges, churchmen and lawyers grew in scope.

The criminal charges — for bribery and money laundering — were brought against Court of First Instance President Evangelos Kaloussis.

Meanwhile, Greek judicial authorities requested the assistance of Interpol for the apprehension of a key figure in the scandal, fugitive drug dealer Apostolos Vavilis — who maintained close relations with top Church officials. Also, a Greek prosecutor launched the process for a European arrest warrant against the former financial manager of the scandal-ridden Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Nikos Papadimas, and his wife on charges of embezzling some 600,000 euros of Patriarchate funds. Papadimas has also been linked with the alleged sale, by the Patriarchate to Jewish settlers, of land in the Arab sector of Jerusalem.