An unemployed man has taken hostages in a factory producing waste bins in the industrial area of Komotini, Northwestern Greece. The man was working at the factory HELESI PLC for ten years, but he was fired in last September. According to Greek media, the man, 62 years old, was expecting that his former employer would hire him again or at least pay him overdue salaries.
As neither the one nor the other happened, the man entered the factory on Thursday noon and started to shoot wih a rifle. The factory owner, a worker from Bulgaria and one policeman were injured.
Special police squads have moved from Thessaloniki to Komotini and a police negotiator is trying to convince the man to surrender. At first the man had taken hostages also some workers but he later set them free. He is currently holding at least two hostages from the factory management.
The man is father of two. He was allegedly on hunger-strike during the last four days.
sources: Proto Thema, NewsIt. More pictures in local blog Piazza del Popolo
