Authorities investigating involvement of convicted criminal in double grenade attack

Police officers from the Directorate for Combating Organised Crime are investigating the possible involvement of a well-known imprisoned convicted criminal in the double grenade attack that took place in the early hours of the morning in Omonia and Amerikis Square.

Experienced officers from the Extortion Crimes Department are focusing their attention on a notorious criminal who has, reportedly, been running operations from inside prison for years and has been involved in numerous high-profile cases, including the 2017 murder of lawyer Michalis Zafeiropoulos.

The first attack took place approximately 25 minutes after 4 a.m. on Acharnon Street, in the Omonia area.

The perpetrator or perpetrators smashed the glass front with a manhole cover and then threw a grenade inside the business. The second attack occurred in exactly the same manner, about half an hour later, at the intersection of Amerikis Square and Mithymnis Street.

The first shop belongs to an Albanian national, while the second is owned by a Syrian national, with whom the convicted criminal under investigation is reportedly believed to have a previous dispute.

According to police officers investigating the case, even the method used in the attacks, which are believed to have possibly been linked to extortion, points to the specific criminal, who usually “recruits” individuals from inside prisons for such activities.

Both businesses were closed at the time of the attacks, but significant damage was caused.