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Greek police identify suspects in 16-year-old Marfin bank arson using digital forensics
🇬🇷 Greece /Crime & Justice

Greek police identify suspects in 16-year-old Marfin bank arson using digital forensics

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Greek police have identified individuals involved in a 16-year-old fatal arson attack on a Marfin bank branch using technology and forensic analysis.
  • Investigators linked suspects to holiday photos, enabling identification despite masks, leading to arrests in connection with the fire that killed three employees.
  • Authorities are using seized digital evidence to find additional accomplices, while a minister stated the current arrests are well-supported by evidence, unlike past handling of the case.

Greek authorities have identified suspects in a 16-year-old arson attack on a Marfin bank branch, a crime that claimed the lives of three employees. The Hellenic Police (EL.AS.) utilized technology and forensic science to link individuals present at the scene to people in holiday photographs, overcoming the challenge of masked perpetrators.

Forensic laboratories meticulously analyzed images and objects, revealing the identities of those accused of setting fire to the bank. The arrested individuals deny the charges, claiming the evidence is weak. Thrasyvoulos Kontaxis, a lawyer for Marfin employees, highlighted that the accused admitted to being present at the protest but refused to identify themselves in the photographs.

Were the specific accused asked if they were at the protest? They were. Did they answer that they were? They did. Did they answer that they were at the location? They did. When asked to identify their faces with the faces of those present and appearing in the photographs, they refused. Keep this point, which no one mentions.

— Thrasyvoulos KontaxisLawyer for Marfin employees, commenting on the suspects' admissions and denials.

Authorities are continuing to examine seized digital evidence from house searches, which may uncover more individuals involved in the attack who have remained unidentified. Citizens Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis acknowledged potential past mishandling of the case but asserted that the current arrests are based on substantial evidence and legal compliance under prosecutorial supervision.

One of the two arrested suspects has been transferred to Nafplio prison, with his co-defendant expected to be moved to Malandrino prison. Authorities are also awaiting the extradition of a 46-year-old woman arrested in England who was about to board a flight to Greece, marking the third person with an arrest warrant in the case. Investigations in 2020 had previously pointed to the same individuals but lacked sufficient evidence for arrests.

Mistakes may have been made in the past in managing the case, but this time the arrests were not made out of thin air. There is evidence, and legality has been fully observed under the supervision of the prosecuting authorities.

— Michalis ChrysochoidisMinister of Citizen Protection, commenting on the strength of the evidence in the current arrests.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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