Police arrested two Greeks suspected of stabbing to death a Pakistani man a couple of hours earlier. One of the suspects is a firefighter, according to a statement issued by police on Thursday.
The incident occurred at 3 o’clock in the morning, when the victim, 27, was riding his bicycle in a street of Petralona, district of Athens. The victim was stabbed on the back with a dagger by the men who were riding a motorbike.
While the victim died on the spot, the two perpetrators left for unknown direction. However, a taxi driver was quick to take note of the registered number of the motorbike. The two were arrested a couple of hours later in downtown Athens. Police found they were carrying two daggers.
One of the suspects is a 29-year-old firefighter, the second a 25-year-old private employee.
Greek media reported that the suspects confessed the stabbing, claiming an argument with the victim as reason for the act. “WE killed him because he was blocking our way,” they confessed, according to Proto Thema.
Police investigates whether the stabbing had a racist motive.
The firefighter was suspended from his duties, while an internal investigation is taking place. Allegedly he had never displayed ‘racist behaviour’ in the past.
UPDATE:
50 Golden Dawn leaflets have been found in the house of one suspect, several Greek media reported on Friday night, strengthening the assumption the attack had a racist motive.
During research in the homes of the two suspects, police seized several daggers and switchblades, several metal bullets, wooden sticks, an iron fist and other items that could be used in attacks. In the home of the 25-year-old, police found also 50 GD leaflets.
The taxi driver’s response is reassuring, ‘heartening’ as they say…he presumably, had not joined the taxi drivers’ recent decision/ban on buying benzini/petrol from shops with immigrant staff!
I’m sad a man has died but happy police did their job. I pray this mans life will mean something to the judge when they receive their prison sentence