Greek authorities announced on Friday the arrest of three suspects in connection with a series of homemade bomb attacks that struck the northern city of Thessaloniki earlier this month, killing a woman and injuring several others. The coordinated dawn assaults on 1 July targeted three politicians from the ruling New Democracy party, using improvised explosives made from small butane canisters.
According to a police statement, anti-terror units apprehended a 29-year-old man in Thessaloniki and a 26-year-old woman on the island of Crete on suspicion of involvement in the bombings. A third individual was arrested for allegedly harboring the two suspects in his apartment. Greek media identified the detainees as young anti-establishment figures previously known to police.
Deadly Attack on Former Candidate's Home
The most devastating attack occurred at the residence of Afroditi Nestora, a former New Democracy candidate. Her mother, Vagia Nestora, died from injuries sustained when an explosive device detonated, apparently while she was trying to extinguish a fire. The blast also injured Nestora, her father, and two other individuals. Police reported that four vehicles in the garage of Nestora's home were completely burned.
The other two targets were identified by Greek media as Zisis Ioakimovic, the party's local executive committee chairman, and former MP Savvas Anastasiades. All three attacks took place within a span of 15 minutes, according to government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis.
“One day after the funeral of Vagia Nestora, the state honors her memory by leading, as we had pledged to do, the terrorists to justice,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in Parliament. “It is democracy's answer to violence. Democracy's only answer to violence.”
Mitsotakis, who also leads New Democracy, made the remarks during a parliamentary session, underscoring the government's determination to crack down on politically motivated violence.
Context of Political Violence in Greece
Greece has a long history of politically motivated extremism, dating back to the 1970s. Domestic groups have frequently carried out small-scale bombings targeting symbols of power, including the property of politicians, police, and other authority figures. Many of these attacks employ crude devices, often using camping gas canisters, which typically cause property damage but rarely fatalities.
The Thessaloniki bombings, however, mark a rare deadly escalation. The use of improvised explosives in a coordinated manner suggests a level of planning that has alarmed authorities. The attacks come amid a broader European context of rising political polarization, though Greece's specific history of left-wing and anarchist violence remains distinct.
While the arrests represent a significant breakthrough, the investigation continues. Police have not yet disclosed the full motives or whether the suspects are linked to any known extremist group. The case has drawn attention to the persistent threat of domestic terrorism in Greece, even as the country grapples with other challenges such as extreme weather events and wildfires across southern Europe.
The arrests also highlight the effectiveness of Greek anti-terror police, who have been under pressure to prevent such attacks. The operation spanned multiple regions, from Thessaloniki to Crete, reflecting the cross-jurisdictional nature of the investigation. As the suspects await trial, the government has reiterated its commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting democratic institutions.
