Fugitive Golden Dawn convict Christos Pappas was arrested in Zografou suburb of Athens late on Thursday. He was reportedly living in an apartment registered under a different name. According to latest information, it was a woman offering him shelter.
59-year-old Pappas was second in command and right hand of the leader of neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn.
He was sentenced to 13 years in prison along with other leaders of the party for forming a criminal organization.
He had gone fugitive after the verdict in October 2020 where police was about to arrest him like the other GD leaders.
On and off there were rumors circulating that he had fled abroad or he was hiding in Mt Athos.
According to preliminary information, the arrest came after a counter-terrorism squad search in private home.
According to media, the woman offering him shelter was an 52-year-old of Ukrainian origin who had recently obtained the Greek nationality. The woman was also candidate with the fraction of another GD convict – Ilias Kassidiaris – at the Athens Municipality.
She has been arrested as well on charges of hiding a fugitive.
Pappas did not resist his arrest, however, he was seemingly surprised.
He has been transferred to the Attica Police Headquarters (GADA), where he is in detention.
Greeks on social media express suspicion about the “timing ” of the arrest as Pappas was hiding practically under the nose of police as the police headquarters and other local police stations are not far away.
Some speak of “upcoming early elections.”
The usual mean Greeks claim that Police had to present a “victory” after the fiasco with Picasso painting two days ago.
PS Pappas was arrested in Zografou (“painter’s”) suburb. Greek police must have a working pattern here…
