Two terror-linked arrests announced by Greek authorities

Greek authorities on Tuesday announced the arrest of two suspects allegedly preparing terrorist attacks in the Athens area, and possibly a highly symbolic target.

Although details are still sketchy, two of the three were arrested in central Athens overnight and brought before a desk prosecutor. A third, identified as a Pakistani national and the “mastermind”, reportedly resides abroad, with a suspicion that he is in Iran.

The next step is an appearance before an investigating magistrate for an arraignment-type hearing and possibly to provide preliminary testimony, with Friday cited as the most probable date. A bevy of felonies have been filed against them.

According to reports by “Ta Nea” and “To Vima”, the suspects, 27 and 29, are also Pakistani nationals, with the anti-terror squad now focusing on whether an Israel-linked target, or even a synagogue, was to be attacked. Later information released in the evening pointed to a kosher restaurant in the Psyrri quarter of central Athens, a popular tourist district.

The arrests reportedly came after a nearly year-long investigation by the Greek intelligence service and police anti-terror squad, and following a tip-off by a foreign intelligence service.

Both men in custody worked as undocumented farm hands, on the Ionian island of Zakynthos and the Sparta region in southern Greece, respectively. Additionally, the two were identified by police as illegal migrants in the country, the initial charge on which they were detained.

Their cell phones later yielded incriminating evidence, authorities said.