Bombing suspects to lose hair
Hair samples from two young Thessaloniki men suspected of planting homemade bombs outside a local television channel’s offices, a bank and a health office last year can be used to determine their guilt, a court ruled yesterday. The two, Thomas Fourlis and Theodoros Ginalas, have been charged with illegal possession of explosives, manufacturing bombs and causing explosions in connection with the attacks on March 10, 2001. The gas-canister blasts occurred outside the Star Channel offices, a branch of National Bank and a local health inspectorate. They caused damage but no injuries. During the suspects’ preliminary examination, a prosecutor ordered that hair samples should be taken to see whether the two could be linked with genetic material associated with other blasts. They appealed, saying the prosecutor had no right to take samples without their permission. But the court ruled this legal, given the gravity of the alleged crimes. Under EU rules, the Greek Cypriots do not qualify for the most lucrative regional aid because their per capita income is higher than 75 percent of the EU average.
