Greek police has crackdown one of the tentacles of neo-nazi and white-supremacists Combat 18 Hellas. The “18” in the organization name derives from the first and eight letter of the alphabet corresponding to the name of Adolf Hitler.
An anti-terror operation launched in the early morning hours of Tuesday, raided eleven homes in the Athens south and west suburbs of Nea Smyrni, Moschato, Haidari, Renti, Menidi and in the city of Ioannina, Epirus.
Police has detained six members of the far-right group, including two leading members. Among the detainees are a 30-year-old lawyer and a 23-year-old in whose home police found flares, explosives and a small quantity of explosive substance. Five of the six detainees have been arrested.
The detainees are reportedly involved in 20 to 30 attacks with explosive devices and molotov cocktail bombs and raid in hangouts of migrant and left-wing clubs.
During the raids, police have found explosive devices, molotov cocktails ready to be used, flares and other material. According to a police statement, in the raided homes police found and seized:
fifty 50) kg of ammonia nitrate,
Molotov bombs,
a number of flares,
books and leaflets with extreme-right content,
flags of extreme-right symbolism,
digital printers,
knives, swords and pocket knives,
a gas mask,
bats and iron-fists,
hunting rifles,
bottles with butane
small quantities of drugs.
With posts in social media, the far-right group has claimed responsibility for attacks in anarchists’ and anti-authoritarians’ hangouts in several surbubs of West Athens.
The investigation was started following evaluation of material obtained from security cameras in places the group members attacked as well as communication of Combat 18 Hellas members that was bugged by the anti-terror police.
Combat 18 (C18) is a neo-Nazi organisation with origins in the United Kingdom, with ties to movements in the United States, and has since spread to other countries. Combat 18 members have been suspected in numerous deaths of immigrants, non-whites, and other C18 members. Combat 18 was formed in early 1992 in UK and soon attracted national attention for threats of violence against immigrants, members of ethnic minorities and leftists.
combat18helleas attack in Petralona, Athens, June 2015. The group had claimed it had launched attacks together with former Golden Dawn members.
