Tensions flared a short while ago in courts of Thessaloniki when enraged citizens gathered in front of the courthouse heckled and verbally attacked the detainees accused of involvement in the murderous attack against the 19-year-old Alkis. It is obvious that people's outrage is running high over this heinous crime and the unjust death of a young child.
The detainees were brought before the court amid loud boos.
The gathered citizens threw objects, shouted, and hurled insults at them, while a very large police presence was on the scene, forming a barrier to prevent them from approaching.
«Murderers, rot in prison,» the angry crowd shouted as the arrested men were led into the courthouse.
It is worth noting that tensions had already run high earlier when police officers escorted two or three defendants—handcuffed and dressed in black—to the courthouse.
The citizens who had gathered in front of the courthouse assumed that these were the eight individuals and advanced toward them in a threatening manner.
Seven suspects “point the finger” at a 21-year-old Greek man
Meanwhile, new developments are emerging in the case of Alkis's murder, According to an ERT report, seven of the eight people arrested yesterday unanimously “identified” as the perpetrator a 21-year-old man of Greek descent who has no criminal record.
In fact, they claim that the 23-year-old man of Albanian descent who was arrested first did not get out of the car, according to ERT.
The 21-year-old reportedly denies the charges, but later today, following an analysis of the evidence (traces of blood on the sickle, fingerprints, and DNA), the perpetrator is expected to be identified.
A chronicle of the wave of new arrests
So far, all those involved have been identified—not through fingerprints, but through an analysis of wiretap records, video footage, witness statements, etc. In fact, only one object was found at the scene—the small sickle used in the brutal murder—and we are awaiting the results of any genetic findings from the Forensic Laboratories.
The authorities issued yesterday 10 arrest warrants were issued, and four of the suspects were initially located and arrested: three individuals of Greek descent and one of Albanian descent, aged 23, 22, 20, and 21 years old. Five of those involved have had prior run-ins with the authorities for incidents of fan violence. The 22-year-old was the driver of the second car used in the attack, which belonged to his father; the car was found hidden some distance from his home but in the same neighborhood.
Later that afternoon, four more individuals of Greek descent were arrested: two 21-year-olds, one 20-year-old, and one 23-year-old. Including the 23-year-old who was arrested first, the total number of those arrested now stands at nine.
Most of those arrested were hiding at friends' homes to avoid arrest, and only two were found at their own homes.
Since all the defendants will face the same charge for committing murder in concert, experienced detectives from the Thessaloniki Homicide Division believe that some of those arrested may, in their statements to the investigating judge, wish to distance themselves from the others and confess to the specific role each playedin the specific attack, in order to shed even more light on all aspects of the case.
