Supreme Court urges swift investigation of tourist attack on Crete

Supreme Court Prosecutor Isidoros Dogiakos has asked on Tuesday the Rethymno Prosecutor on the island of Crete to give the investigation into the attack on a family of German tourists the highest priority, urging it to be conducted thoroughly.

“It is very serious both due to the timing of the attack, in the midst of the tourist season, and the location, Crete, which is an attractive destination for travelers from all over the world,” he said in his letter.

The intervention by Dogiakos is at a time when the arrest of the two suspects was already deemed to be slow.

Two locals, reportedly brothers aged 36 and 38, have been arrested. One was given until Friday to prepare his defense, while the other was released on bail. Both claim they were attacked by the tourists.

Speaking to state broadcaster ERT, the family said the suspects started chasing them for no apparent reason when they were driving around Rethymno in their rental car. The driver of the offenders’ pick-up truck allegedly attacked them with a knife during the altercation that followed.

One of the defenders has been given until Friday to prepare his defense, while another has been released on bail.