Car belonging to head of prison psychiatric clinic targeted in arson attack

Police on Monday were seeking the perpetrators behind an arson attack on a car belonging to the head of the psychiatric unit at Attica’s high-security Korydallos Prison.

According to sources, the fire service was called shortly after 2.30 a.m. on Monday following reports that a car in the Athens neighborhood of Patissia was in flames.

Two fire engines were dispatched to the scene and firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze before it could spread to other cars.

A subsequent investigation revealed that the vehicle belonged to the head of the prison’s psychiatric unit. According to sources, the attack was ordered by prisoners serving sentences for involvement in blackmail and related offenses in order to intimidate the unit head and force her to freeze their possible transfers to another prison.

Police are also investigating the possibility that the attack was a response to her decision to scrap irregular visits to specific detainees.