by Aggelos Skordas
Hellenic Police authorities of the northeastern city of Alexandroupolis, on Thursday, proceeded with the arrest of a 32-year-old Syrian national, suspected for being involved in terrorist activity carried out by the Islamic State terrorist organisation. The suspect was arrested when he showed up to the regional migration office in order to be interviewed and to monitor his asylum application. Greek authorities were led to his arrest by his wife who reported him to a social worker at the Oreokastro refugee camp for an alleged domestic violence incident in September and then subsequently accused him of being a member of the jihadist terrorist group, which dragged Syria and parts of Iraq into an endless bloodshed.
The 32-year-old Syrian was led before a public prosecutor in Alexandroupolis on Friday accused of outstanding the administrative penalties imposed on him, including a ban forbidding his entry into Greece. According to a Hellenic Police official announcement, the suspect is being investigated for “participation and the degree of this in terrorist acts committed outside Greek territory in the past”.
The suspect, who denied being part of ISIS and claimed he is an asylum seeker like thousands of his countrymen, arrived in Greece last year -when along with his wife and young children- were among the boatloads of refugees landing on the island of Leros. After reaching Greece, in June 2016, the 32-year-old Syrian applied for asylum. At the same time, though, the legal procedure was initiated but the Greek Police State Security department issued an order placing him under surveillance and has been monitoring his moves ever since. During his stay in Greece the suspect and his family have lived in refugee camps but also in a flat in Athens, planning to continue further north to Europe.
While reports say authorities are still checking the suspect’s background prior to his arrival to Greece, Police sources said that among the videos and photographs found in his cell phone, there were numerous depicting torments and executions of people captured by ISIS, as well as other material depicting violence by jihadists, including some where he appears himself. According to local media, the Syrian national attempted suicide, with a noose made out of his blanket, minutes after his arrest but he was stopped and transferred to the hospital before causing himself any serious harm.
The case has now been taken over by Greek Police Counter Terrorism Department, which is investigating the suspect’s home and belongings, among which his personal computer and other items, in order to determine the degree of his involvement in terrorist acts.
