104 people involved in football violence charged with gang membership, premeditated murder
Most of the defendants are Croat nationals, as is one Croat under guard at Erythros Stavros hospital in Athens. Those read charges include two Greeks, one Albanian, an Austrian national, a German and a Bosnian national. They were transported to the Evelpidon courthouses under heavy police guard.
Felonies include forming a criminal organization, premeditated murder, causing an explosion, and possession of explosives. Misdemeanors include disturbing the peace, causing grievous bodily harm (both attempted and committed collectively & repeatedly), damage to property, violent actions prohibited by the sports law, illegal possession of weapons, use of arms, and possession of flares.
It is noted that although the murder charge were read, it was not linked by the court specifically to the death of 29-year-old AEK club fan Michalis Katsouris, as the perpetrator is yet to be identified. In addition, the murder weapon, most likely a knife, is yet to be found.
Police are intensely examining several leads, including from testimonies, genetic material, images and videos from smart phones and several knives.
Following the reading of charges, the 103 appearing at the Evelpidon courts will be assigned to regular investigating magistrates for their testimony.
105th arrest at Ioannina
Later on Wednesday, a young Croatian national was arrested at the city of Ioannina, northern Greece, by order of a public prosecutor.
The man was travelling on a coach bus with fans of the Panathinaicos football club, all on their way to attend the team's match with Marseilles on Wednesday evening in Athens. The coach bus was stopped by police while still outside Ioannina.
According to police sources the man is suspected of having been involved in the violent clashes among rival footbal club fans (AEK and Dinamo Zagreb) at Nea Philadelphia in Athens on Monday night, which led to the murder of an AEK fan, 29-year-old Michalis Katsouris.
The Croat is being transported to Athens, where he will be taken to the Attica Security Directorate's Sub-Directorate for Combating Violence in Sports Venues.
A total of 104 people have been arrested for the Athens violent incidents up until Wednesday, with this latest person being the 105th arrest.
Τhe 4 Greeks out of the 98 people arrested in connection with the fatal hooligan clashes in Nea Filadelfia in western Athens were released on Tuesday, with a verbal order of the prosecutor. All four were injured, and three of them have given statements to the Sub-Directorate for Combating Sports Violence. The fourth man was until late Tuesday still unable to give a statement.
The remaining 94 remained in custody and will be brought before the prosecutor Wednesday, while genetic material was being taken from all of the suspects in an attempt to identify the perpetrator of the murder of 29-year-old Michalis Katsouris, an AEK fan.
It was unclear whether the murder weapon, a knife, is among the evidence seized and if the perpetrator is among the Croatians arrested and detained at Hellenic Police (ELAS) Headquarters. At least 82 of the 98 arrested during Monday night’s clashes are Croatians, according to information cited by state broadcaster ERT.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Citizen Protection has removed seven police officers from their positions, including the head of the Sub-Directorate for Combating Sports Violence and six heads of traffic police departments along the national road network. Minister Giannis Oikonomou publicly and Deputy Minister Kostas Katsafados in private discussions announced that more heads will roll as the investigation proceeds in depth.
