Triple arson attack in Thessaloniki: cameras, mobile phones and circle of suspects
The authorities are in a race against time to gather evidence following the fatal attack that claimed the life of Vagia Nestor. Around five or six individuals from the anti-establishment circles are under scrutiny.
Thessaloniki: How the investigation into Vagia Nestor's death is unfolding
Police and the Counter-Terrorism Division are continuing their investigations with unabated intensity into the triple arson attack in Thessaloniki, which led to the death of Vagia Nestor. According to In.gr, despite optimistic messages about swift apprehension of the perpetrators, the authorities are maintaining a cautious stance.
Vasilis Lampropoulos, a security correspondent for the newspapers Ta Nea and To Vima, notes that the collection of evidence is a time-consuming process that may last several days.
Race against time for visual material
A critical factor in the investigation is the collection of material from security cameras at homes and shops in the area. This data is automatically erased from recording systems after 5-6 days, making their recovery urgent.
At the same time, steps are being taken to lift telephone confidentiality, so that movements in the area can be mapped through mobile telephone antenna sweeps. It is also being examined whether the perpetrators carried out surveillance of the targets in the preceding days, while emphasis is being placed on locating the vehicles used for approach and escape.
Circle of suspects from the anti-establishment sphere
The authorities have already formed a specific circle of suspects, focusing mainly on moral complicity. Under scrutiny are approximately five or six individuals from the anti-establishment sphere, some of whom have already been arrested in other cases or have been recorded as ringleaders in incidents related to two specific squats.
This does not in itself prove direct involvement, however it is being seriously examined whether these individuals, their associates, or young people they may have recently recruited, are behind the attacks. The evidence is being cross-referenced with similar arson attacks over the past two years in Thessaloniki, for some of which responsibility has been claimed.
The fatal basement and the peculiarity of the third strike
The development of the third attack is causing particular concern among the authorities. In the first two cases, material damage was minimal, whilst in the third total destruction was recorded.
The fire was set near parked vehicles inside a closed basement. The inability to vent the flames, the vehicles' fuel tanks and the ignition of insulation materials led to rapid spread and entrapment. The elderly woman died from smoke and fume inhalation.
The question of target selection
Investigators are now focusing on the profile of the three targets: they were mid-level politicians without particular public prominence and without police protection. A central question remains how the perpetrators knew the exact residential addresses and why they selected these particular individuals.
Regarding motive, all possibilities are being examined, including a possible connection to the tension that has arisen around the issue of the "Refugee Accommodation" on Alexandras Avenue in Athens.
Source: In.gr