105 suspects arrested in Dinamo Zagreb hooligans’ rampage, stabbing death; major judicial, law enforcement operation continues

The shock and fallout from Monday evening’s deadly hooligan rampage outside an Athens football stadium continues unabated two days later, with Greek law enforcement springing into action to arrest 105 suspects after first allowing a convoy of vehicles carrying Dinamo Zagreb “ultras” a “free pass” to cross half of Greece and end up directly outside AEK Athens’ home field.

One local man, 29-year-old Michalis Katsouris, was stabbed to death and several other people injured when roughly 120 to 150 masked Croatians and some two dozen local hooligans – rivals of AEK – wielded clubs, bats and threw firebombs and other objects outside the Nea Philadelphia district stadium.

At least three investigating magistrates have been assigned the main investigation into the fatality and rioting.

The arrested suspects are expected to face prosecutors and magistrates in the coming days in groups, in order to provide sworn testimony and answer questions, should they acquiesce, in order to save time from individual appearances before judicial officers.

No one has so far been identified as the assailant or assailants in the homicide. Nevertheless, four felony charges slapped against the arrested individuals include formation of a criminal enterprise, intentional manslaughter, possession of explosive materials and multiple counts of grievous bodily harm, among others. A handful of misdemeanor charges have also been filed.

Greek law enforcement authorities have reportedly sent all recovered cell phones taken from the suspects to cyber crime lab, along with taking DNA samples and combing through video footage to identify the victim’s assailant or assailants.

As of Wednesday the murder weapon has not been recovered, although other knives were found and confiscated in vehicles used to transport the hooligans.

The most recent arrest, the 105th, came on Wednesday in the northwest city of Ioannina, which is close to the border with Albania.

The arrested man was identified as a young Croatian national who was travelling in a coach carrying fans of the Panathinaikos Athens football team. The passengers were headed to Athens to attend an UEFA qualifying match on Wednesday evening between Panathinaikos and visiting Olympique de Marseille. The bus was stopped by police while just outside Ioannina.

The man was arrested by order of a local prosecutor on suspicion of being involved in the Monday night rampage in Nea Philadelphia.
In terms of the fallout and sharp criticism of Greek Police (EL.AS), and by extension the Mitsotakis government, another 15 to 20 police officers are expected to testify in an internal probe over the failure to stop the convoy of Dinamo Zagreb hooligans from reaching AEK’s stadium in the first place.

Greek police were provided with written warnings by Croatian and Montenegro authorities, with the latter detailing the exact vehicles transporting the hooligans. Greek customs officers at the Kakavia border crossing with Albania also reported the convoy’s arrival, searching several vehicles and recording that the passengers were all young Croatian males, as well as other features, such as haircuts and types of similar clothing worn. In fact, media reports have some of the Croatian nationals admitting that they were headed to Athens on account of the AEK-Dinamo Zagreb match, even though away team fans were banned from attending.
The convoy of vehicles subsequently passed numerous toll posts, all under the “discreet” police surveillance. After losing contact with the vehicles carrying the Croatian hooligans as they reached the Greek capital’s outer perimeter, police were then alerted by staff members at a northwest Athens urban rail station of their presence and direction of travel. Finally, a small contingent of police officers made contact with the group as they walked towards the stadium, but failed to intervene before the violence erupted.