Greek police arrested a 43-year-old Panathinaikos FC fan, a hooligan already known to police from the past. The arrest warrant had been issued for his participation in the bloody incidents in New Philadelphia during which 29-year-old Michalis Katsouris was murdered.
It is noted that the Panathinaikos fan was identified by a video available to the authorities and appears, wearing a helmet, to lead the Croatian hooligans to the scene of the bloody incidents, state-run news agency amna reported early Friday evening.
07.08.2023, BBB (Dinamo Zagreb🇭🇷) hooligans in Athens🇬🇷 https://t.co/Fjy3xrlEmQ pic.twitter.com/J0QIr1njJ5
— Hooligans.cz Official (@hooliganscz1999) August 14, 2023
The arrested man had admitted his participation in the violent incidents on a social media post.
Citing police sources, amna noted that the man is a known hooligan, with a rich past in fan violence and has a police record. Last winter, while he was a witness in a trial for soccer fans, a group of 30 people attacked him and wounded him with a knife outside the Court of Appeal.
After the arrest on Friday, police investigation is underway at the man’s home in Gyzi district of Athens.
New arrest warrants underway
In a parallel development, judicial authorities have findings that are estimated to soon lead to the issuance of new arrest warrants.
According to information cited by state-run news agency amna, the investigator handling the case, will allegedly be able in the coming days to expand the circle of defendants for the bloody incidents, issuing new arrest warrants for persons for whom there is evidence of their involvement in the violent incidents in Nea Philadelphia.
Already 104 people have been arrested pending trial with the majority of them being Croats
However, it should be noted that police has not identified yet the person who stabbed AEK fan Michalis Katsouris who bled to death.
