Authorities Charge 28 Anarchists For Athens Riots and Fires In Feb.

Greek police have identified and drawn up criminal charges against 28 people that they say participated in serious acts of vandalism and looting during rioting that occurred in central Athens last February. Police announced that 22 of the individuals identified are Greek nationals, 16 men and six women, and the remaining five men and one woman are foreign nationals. The suspects are between the ages of 18 and 48 years old and live in various regions of Attica, Ilia, Achaia, Larissa and Iraklio on Crete, and some reports even indicate that most of them are far-leftists and anarchists.

In the work of identifying the 28 people involved, police said a crucial role was played by information supplied by members of the public via calls to the counter-terrorism service and other police departments after video footage and photographs of those involved were made public by order of a public prosecutor. The charges drawn up against them include arson, causing explosions, violation of laws concerning weapons and explosives, inflicting dangerous or grievous bodily harm, theft, vandalism, disturbing the peace, drug violations and fencing.

Some of the 28 will also face charges of illegal possession of explosive devices with intent to expose other people to danger, committing crimes of violence with facial features concealed, resisting arrest and repeated counts of attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm on police officers acting in the line of duty.

The individuals involved are suspects in the break-ins, damage and looting of a number of high-street shops and banks, including an Omonia shop selling weaponry for use as stage props, clothing and other goods stores, photography and mobile phone equipment shops, a jewellery shop and a bank. Police allege that they were also in groups carrying out attacks on police forces, injuring police officers and torching a motorcycle belonging to a DIAS motorcycle police patrol.

The evidence gathered against all 28 has now been forwarded to the Athens first-instance court prosecutor. (AMNA)