Three arrested in Greece for firebomb attacks on New Democracy politicians
Greek counter-terrorism police have arrested three people in connection with a series of firebomb attacks against politicians of the ruling conservative New Democracy party. The attacks resulted in one death and four injured.
Three arrested in Greece for firebomb attacks on New Democracy politicians
Greek counter-terrorism police have arrested three people linked to a series of firebomb attacks against politicians of the governing conservative New Democracy party. The attacks resulted in one death and four injured.
In the early hours of 1 July, explosive devices were placed outside the homes of New Democracy members in the northern Thessalonica area. A makeshift bomb made of camping gas canisters exploded beneath the car of the mother of 72-year-old New Democracy candidate Aphrodite Nestor, resulting in her death. Nestor herself sustained burns and was temporarily discharged from hospital on Thursday to attend her mother's funeral. Her father and two other residents of the building were also injured.
That same night, two further attacks were carried out against other New Democracy members, which caused material damage without any injuries.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who also leads New Democracy, stated in parliament: "One day after the funeral of Evangelia Nestor, the state honours her memory by apprehending the terrorists, as we had promised".
Police announced that a 29-year-old man was arrested in Thessalonica on suspicion of involvement in the explosion at Nestor's home, as well as a 26-year-old woman in southern Crete. A third man was arrested on the charge that he harboured these two individuals in his apartment.
Greece has a long history of politically motivated violence dating from the 1970s, when domestic extremist groups carried out small-scale explosions, typically against symbols of authority or the property of politicians, police officers and other officials. Many of these groups use makeshift explosive devices, often constructed from camping gas canisters, which typically cause only material damage.
In May 2025, a woman was killed in Thessalonica when an explosive device she was holding detonated. Authorities reported that the 38-year-old had intended to place a bomb outside a bank. Two months later, an explosive device detonated outside the home of the chairman of the Greek Prison Officers' Union in Thessalonica. He was not injured, but two other people sustained minor shrapnel wounds.
Source: LRT