In such a framework, the Athens first instance prosecutor’s office launched an investigation into the allegations. The four suspects, aged 20 to 24, were arrested for a double bank armed robbery last week in the area of Kozani (northern Greece). Some suspects are said to be linked to the notorious terrorist group "Conspiracy of the Cells of Fire" which apparently is said to have carried out a series of bloodless bomb attacks.
Public Order Minister Nikos Dendias promised “merciless punishment” if police officers are found to have abused the suspects during the interrogation process. Speaking to Mega TV on Monday morning, Dendias insisted allegations that the detainees had been tortured would be investigated. “We will not accept any breach of rights,” he said. Dendias said that the police informed him they doctored the photos of the four suspects so they would be recognizable to the public and added that the police took the unusual step of publishing pictures of the detainees, because they wanted to gather more information about possible hideouts.
Meanwhile, the anti-terrorism squad began investigating an apartment in the northern Athens suburb of Maroussi after receiving an anonymous tip.
SYRIZA and DIMAR, who were of course quick to take to the defence of the detainees, attempted to turn the public focus away from the "terrorism" part of the story and focus only on the so called beatings. Of course all these voices forget that the bank robbers, or members of a deadly notorious terrorist organization, were holding a hostage at gunpoint - with Kalashnikov assault rifles, a Scorpion sub machine gun, handguns and a shotgun -. And every time someone attempts to remind SYRIZA and DIMAR of this fact... they change the subject!
On their part, police authorities in northern Greece said in a statement on Monday that only “necessary force” had been used to apprehend and disarm the suspects. The fact that local police officers were able to arrest and detain these criminals without a drop of blood being spilled is also something that SYRIZA, DIMAR forget.
In any case, the police are continuing with their investigation. On Monday it was also reported that the police has matched the fingerprints of one of the suspects with those found at two properties, one in the Athens neighborhood of Kallithea and one in Volos, central Greece. The properties were apparently used as hideouts for the Conspiracy of the Cells of Fire. On SKAI news later on in the evening it was also reported that there might be at least 9 properties involved, but nothing was confirmed.
Interestingly, one of the suspects said he is not going to file abuse charges against police. In a statement issued through his lawyer, Nikos Romanos said he had political motives for taking part in the robberies and said that he considered himself as a "prisoner of war, not a victim.” Romanos was apparently friends with Alexis Grigoropoulos, who was shot dead by a policeman in December 2008 (igniting the Athens riots). Strangely, Romanos had been with Grigoropoulos when he was shot and later refused to attend the trial of the two policemen involved in the incident. At the time he had said that he had gone into hiding, and later he denied being part of extremist organizations. (Guess he lied ... ooooops)
Another interesting factor is that all these suspects are part of the more upscale part of Greek society. In fact most of their parents are either doctors, or wealthy businessmen. Romanos's mother for instance is a well known author, and part of the well-known Nasioutsik family. His grandfather, Athanasios Nasioutsik, was convicted of the murder of fellow author Athanasios Diamantopoulos in an apartment in Kolonaki, central Athens in 1984.
Several members of the Conspiracy group are behind bars, but authorities suspect that other members still at large. In fact reports say that the group is suspected of being behind the recent arson attacks against journalists and the bombing at "The Mall". It is still not known whether they are behind the attack against the headquarters of the conservative New Democracy party.
Editor's Note - All the above suspects, who are quite young, were obviously recruited by someone, or some type of force. Someone doesn't wake up in the morning and suddenly decide to become part of a terrorist organization, rent countless apartments across Greece purchase heavy weaponry -and know how to use them- and be so well organized like these boys were. Certainly this is where the police should place its focus. Indeed these boys did the crime, and have to pay the time, but the troubling part of it all is that they are young men. It would be a frightful thought to think that this is the generation of tomorrow. These young men used heavy weaponry and threatened the lives of many people, especially that of the one hostage. What were they thinking? What does changing the world have to do with violence? NOTHING! Gandhi changed the world with his intellect and his philosophy, Martin Luther King did the same, and so many before and after them. They never used violence. These boys are criminals and should be treated as such. There is no respect and dignity to a man who raises a gun against a fellow man. No respect at all.
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