Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Greek police raid neo-Nazi party's offices

ATHENS (AFP) - Greek police raided the offices of neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn and arrested a police officer, authorities said, amid a major probe on the links between law enforcers and far-right politicians.

A 45-year-old officer, who is working as the bodyguard of a Golden Dawn lawmaker, was detained during the raid at party offices in central Greece, a police source said.

The officer had been suspended from his duties last September over suspicions that he joined a Golden Dawn politician and other neo-Nazis in smashing up the street stalls of migrant peddlers.

The links between Golden Dawn and police have come under intense scrutiny in Greece after the murder of an anti-fascist musician by an alleged member of the party.

The fatal stabbing of 34-year-old hip hop artist Pavlos Fyssas on September 18 touched off street protests and prompted authorities to take a harder stance against Golden Dawn.

Several senior officers had been suspended following the killing for failing to investigate a Golden Dawn office near a local police station where weapons were allegedly kept.

Further raids of Golden Dawn's offices are expected in coming days, the police source said.

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