Prosecutor orders dual probe after claims by former minister
Supreme Court prosecutor Efterpi Koutzamani on Friday ordered a dual investigation into claims by former citizens’ protection minister Yiannis Panousis that he received threats against his life during his stint in government and that SYRIZA officials had links with convicted terrorists and underworld criminals.
The probe will also focus on a legal suit brought by current Citizens' Protection Minister Nikos Toskas and Justice Minister Nikos Paraskevopoulos regarding the alleged leaking of state documents following purported telephone conversations between SYRIZA officials and convicted members of the Conspiracy of the Cells of Fire guerrilla group.
The first legal brief relates to the claims made by Panousis and includes material submitted by the latter to Koutzamani including the transcripts of phone conversations and his interview to Proto Thema newspaper which broke the story about his claims.
The aim of the investigation, which is to be conducted by Dimitris Dasoulas, is to determine whether there is any basis for criminal charges — including the charge of violence against a politician or against the government.
The prosecutor is also to probe whether charges should be brought in connection with older assaults against Panousis, who is a criminologist, including a bomb attack on his office at Athens University.
The second legal brief was drafted after the legal action of Paraskevopoulos and Toskas and aims to determine the authenticity of documents disseminated by the Greek media reflecting Panousis's claims.
