By Ginika Igboke
Greek authorities have arrested three people in connection with a series of coordinated firebomb attacks that targeted politicians from the country’s governing conservative party, attacks that left one woman dead and four others injured.
The arrests were announced Friday following an investigation led by Greece’s anti-terrorism police into the bombings, which occurred in the northern city of Thessaloniki on July 1.
Officials say the investigation remains active, with authorities continuing to search for additional suspects who may have participated in planning or carrying out the attacks.
Mother of Political Candidate Killed in Explosion
The most devastating attack targeted the home of Afroditi Nestora, a parliamentary candidate for Greece’s ruling New Democracy party.
According to investigators, a crude explosive device made from camping gas canisters had been placed beneath Nestora’s vehicle, which was parked at the entrance to her apartment building.
When the device detonated, it caused a powerful explosion that killed Nestora’s 72-year-old mother.
Nestora herself suffered burn injuries in the blast and remains hospitalized.
Despite her injuries, she was briefly released from the hospital on Thursday to attend her mother’s funeral before returning for continued medical treatment.
The explosion also injured Nestora’s father and two other residents of the apartment building.
Authorities said the attack caused significant damage to the property and surrounding area.
Multiple Politicians Targeted the Same Night
Investigators believe the bombing at Nestora’s residence was part of a broader series of politically motivated attacks carried out on the same night.
Two additional bomb attacks targeted the homes of other members of the governing New Democracy party elsewhere in Thessaloniki.
Those explosions caused property damage but did not result in any injuries.
Police are investigating whether all three attacks were coordinated by the same extremist network.
Three Suspects Taken Into Custody
Greek police announced Friday that three individuals had been arrested during coordinated operations conducted in different parts of the country.
Those arrested include:
- A 29-year-old man detained in Thessaloniki.
- A 26-year-old woman arrested on the southern island of Crete.
- A third man accused of sheltering the two primary suspects before and after the bombing.
Authorities allege that the third suspect allowed the pair to hide in his apartment while preparations for the attack were underway and after it had been carried out.
Police have not publicly identified the suspects as formal charges continue to develop.
Investigators said efforts remain underway to identify and apprehend anyone else who may have assisted in the attacks.
Greece Continues to Face Political Extremist Violence
The bombings have renewed concerns about politically motivated violence in Greece, where extremist groups have carried out attacks for decades.
Since the 1970s, various domestic militant organizations have targeted politicians, government institutions, law enforcement agencies, banks, and other symbols of state authority.
Many of these attacks have involved improvised explosive devices assembled from readily available materials such as camping gas canisters.
Although most incidents historically have resulted primarily in property damage, authorities note that recent attacks have become increasingly dangerous, causing fatalities and serious injuries.
While several of Greece’s most notorious militant organizations were dismantled during the 1980s and 1990s, smaller extremist groups have continued to emerge in recent years.
Recent Bombings Highlight Ongoing Security Concerns
The latest arrests come amid a series of high-profile bombing incidents that have raised alarm across Greece.
In May 2025, a 38-year-old woman was killed in Thessaloniki after an explosive device she was carrying detonated prematurely.
Investigators said she had allegedly intended to place the bomb outside a local bank before it exploded in her hands.
Only two months later, another bomb exploded outside the Thessaloniki residence of the president of Greece’s national prison guards association.
Although the intended target escaped unharmed, two nearby individuals suffered minor injuries from flying glass.
Earlier Attacks Targeted Public Institutions
Political violence has continued to affect other parts of Greece as well.
In April of last year, an explosive device detonated near the headquarters of Greece’s principal railway company in central Athens.
The blast caused substantial property damage but no injuries.
The attack occurred amid widespread public frustration following the country’s devastating 2023 railway disaster, which claimed the lives of 57 people and prompted nationwide protests demanding greater government accountability.
A previously unknown extremist organization later claimed responsibility for that bombing.
In June 2024, another politically motivated attack injured a police officer assigned to protect the residence of a senior judge in Athens.
The officer was wounded when attackers threw a gasoline bomb at the property.
Investigation Continues
Greek authorities say anti-terrorism investigators are continuing to examine forensic evidence, surveillance footage, communications records, and other materials as they work to determine whether additional individuals or extremist organizations were involved.
Officials have not yet publicly identified any group responsible for the July 1 attacks or announced whether the suspects arrested Friday belong to a broader militant network.
The deadly bombing has once again highlighted the persistent threat posed by politically motivated extremist violence in Greece, even as security services continue efforts to dismantle emerging militant groups before further attacks can occur.
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