Anti-terror op finds explosive material in air force serviceman’s home

An ongoing crackdown on homegrown terror groups has led officers to the discovery of explosives in the home of an Air Force serviceman, the police said on Wednesday.

As an armorer of the Air Force, the suspect’s duties would include the maintenance and repair of small arms and weapons systems, but it is unclear at this time whether the explosive materials found at his house were obtained from the military.

Kathimerini understands that when he was arrested, the man had been on extended leave from the military due to health reasons.

The man is one of 10 accused of participating in a terrorist organization and was arrested.

Among other charges, the 10 suspects are accused of attempted murder, placing and detonating makeshift explosive devices in front of Athens banks, throwing a grenade into the vehicle of a correctional officer, mailing a parcel bomb to a Thessaloniki courthouse, and illegal possession of firearms and narcotics for personal use.

They are to testify before a prosecutor on Sunday.

Four of the 10 men accused of terrorism had already been imprisoned for crimes such as theft, but police say that none in the group had participated in any anarchist/anti-authority organizations in the past.

In addition to the Air Force armorer, another member of the group was also part of the armed forces, serving as a machine-gunner at the Defense Ministry in northern Athens.