In a big counter-terror operation against the organisation “Revolutionary Self-Defense” police raided several houses in Athens, arrested two men and one woman and discovered an arsenal of weapons, Greek Police announced on Saturday.
In the operation that started on Friday, 13 homes have been reportedly raided and 15 people questioned by the counter-terrorism Department of Greek Police.
Two men aged 41 and 45 were arrested on charges of terrorist acts, possession of explosives, violation of weapons law and tampering with official documents.
A 39-year-old woman has been also arrested for violation of arms law. Police are searching for a 46-year-old man.
Convinced that members of the organisation were preparing a powerful blow, ELAS officers carried out a counterterrorism operation against the “Revolutionary Self-Defence” group.
“Fortunately we did. These weapons kill. Two were used and fortunately they did not kill, but injured police officers,” said the Director of Counter-Terrorism.
According to the Anti-Terrorist announcements, the findings include a piece of explosives, possibly TNT, two explosive cartridges, possibly gelatinodynamite and a 40kg ammonium nitrate package, as well as a night vision binocular and a night vision binocular.
These findings lead officers to believe that members of the organisation were likely to strike against a police target, while declaring that the organisation should be upgraded and are more effective in their goals.
The two detainees allegedly members of the “Revolutionary Self-Defence Organisation” were referred to court on Tuesday, while the charges against them and two others are related to acts of terrorism jointly and subsequently with terrorist organisation, as well as aggravated possession of explosives, unlawful possession of firearms, supply and possession of drugs.
The organisation has assumed responsibility for:
- Two attacks with assault rifles against riot police outside PASOK headquarters in Athens in 2014 and 2017
- Attacks on the embassy of Mexico and of France in August and November of 2016, respectively. One policeman was injured in the second attack.
- The same weapon was also used to rob an OPAP gaming store in Holargos on October 21, 2019.
In the raided homes police found and confiscated among other:
- 5 Kalashnikov rifles
- 4 hand grenades with CS gas fillers
- 17 detonators (9 of them remote-controlled)various explosives including gelatin-dynamite, also possible TNT.
Sources: Greek Police, newsit, amna, ethnos, Kathimerini
