A 46-year-old suspect in the deadly 2010 Marfin arson attack in central Athens will appear before an investigating magistrate on Tuesday following her extradition from the United Kingdom.
The woman appeared before judicial authorities in Athens on Friday and requested additional time to prepare her defense. She remains in police custody ahead of the August 11 hearing.
Greek authorities allege that she played a supporting role in the May 5, 2010 attack on a Marfin Bank branch on Stadiou Street, a major thoroughfare in central Athens. Three bank employees died after assailants set the building on fire during a large demonstration against austerity measures introduced as Greece struggled through its sovereign debt crisis.
Marfin arson suspect denies involvement
The woman denies taking part in the attack. Her lawyer said she acknowledges attending the demonstration along with thousands of other protesters but rejects allegations that she participated in the violence at the bank.
Her defense has also challenged the authorities’ assertion that investigators identified her through visual material from the day. Investigators allege that footage shows her with her facial features concealed and that she supported the group that approached the branch.
According to authorities, members of the group broke the bank’s glass frontage and threw flammable material inside. They do not allege that the 46-year-old personally threw the incendiary material. The victims were Angeliki Papathanassopoulou, 32, who was pregnant, Paraskevi Zoulia, 35, and Epaminondas Tsakalis, 36.
UK extradition brings suspect back to Greece
The woman had lived in Brighton, England, for several years before British authorities arrested her under an international warrant issued by Greece. She later consented to extradition, and Greek police officers escorted her from Britain to Athens on Thursday night.
Her return comes as authorities continue investigating a case that remained unresolved for years despite its lasting impact on Greek public life.
Two other suspects were arrested in July in connection with the case and placed in pretrial detention. Both deny the accusations against them. The 46-year-old is scheduled to appear before the investigating magistrate on Tuesday.
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