Armed robbery, weapons land terror suspect in dock

A 48-year-old man arrested in Thessaloniki by counterterrorism officers on Monday as a suspected member of militant group Revolutionary Self-Defense was charged Tuesday with nine crimes, including armed robbery and illegal weapons possession.

An arrest warrant had been issued for Dimitris Hatzivassiliadis about 18 months ago, when two other members of the organization were arrested after police located their safe house in Holargos, northern Athens.

He was caught on Monday shortly after robbing an Alpha Bank branch in the northern port city and making off with 8,275 euros. He fled on a stolen motorcycle which he later abandoned for a vehicle, also stolen.

He appeared before a prosecutor yesterday and was expected to be led before an investigative magistrate. 

The suspect was also wanted for the armed robbery of a betting shop in the Athens suburb of Holargos in October 21, 2019.