NEWS

In Brief

OFFICER REMANDED

One of five linked to beating of Chilean is remanded A 28-year-old policeman, one of five officers linked to the brutal beating of a 30-year-old Chilean detainee in a central Athens police precinct on New Year’s Eve, was remanded in custody yesterday after testifying for several hours before an investigating magistrate on charges of abuse of power and torturing a detainee. Another two officers who face similar charges received conditional release. Three additional officers alleged to have stood by during the beating were conditionally released on Tuesday. ISAP DISRUPTION Five stations closed for 3 days Engineering works on the Piraeus-Kifissia urban electric railway (ISAP) will result in the closure of five stations over the entire weekend and through Monday. The stations affected are Moschato and Kallithea in southern Athens as well as Neratziotissa. Maroussi, KAT and Kifissia in northern Athens. Two bus routes – X5 and X6 – will be in operation for commuters on the affected routes. Gunman thwarted An unidentified man seen loitering outside a branch of the Hellenic Post (ELTA) in a southern suburb of Thessaloniki early yesterday afternoon was in the hospital later in the day after being chased by police who fired at him when he pointed a gun at them. According to police, two officers in a patrol car in the area saw the suspect outside the ELTA branch in Peraia holding a weapon that turned out to be a sawed-off shotgun. They chased and cornered the suspect and shot at him, injuring him in the leg, when he threatened them with his gun. Terror suspect A 26-year-old man charged in connection with the activities of the Conspiracy of the Cells of Fire yesterday told an investigating magistrate that he had no links to the terrorist group and gave the names of 10 people who he said could back his claims to have been out of the capital on the dates of two attacks on politicians’ homes claimed by the group. Responding to police claims that his fingerprints were found in the group’s hideout in Halandri, northern Athens, the suspect reportedly claimed to have visited the apartment in early 2007 to install a computer. Violent raids Assailants carried out a barrage of armed raids in different parts of Attica yesterday and late on Thursday, resulting in injuries to three people. Early yesterday morning, three gunmen broke into an apartment near central Athens being rented by a 30-year-old Albanian, struck him on the head with a heavy object and fled with valuables. The owner of a store selling spare parts for boats in Porto Rafti was also struck on the head by a robber who raided his premises on Thursday night. A few hours earlier, a 66-year-old female pedestrian in Neo Faliro was mugged, suffering minor injuries. Fan club attack An Olympiakos supporters’ club premises in Ilioupoli, southeastern Athens, was damaged yesterday in a predawn attack, police said. Some 20 youths on motorcycles threw rocks and flares at the building. They smashed the club’s sign as well as the window of the butcher shop next door. Six parked cars and a motorcycle were also damaged but nobody was injured.

Subscribe to our Newsletters

Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights, opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox.

By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.