Nikos Maziotis’ group of terrorists was planning to hit the governing party’s offices on the 4th of October, that is in merely two days’ time. The day is considered symbolic for the New Democracy party since it is the 40th anniversary since its establishment. Maziotis and his group have been known in the past to strike during important days and any such symbolisms.
As the head of the Hellenic Police and the Minister of Public Order stated in a joint announcement, the terrorists had even planned to hold a “dress rehearsal” a day earlier, on October 3rd.
The announcement presented that the terrorists’ lair in a garage, had notes of a timed drive between the New Democracy offices and the garage itself, at 16 minutes. That means that the group had planned their escape after the hit at the New Democracy offices.
As the leader of Hellenic Police, General Dimitrios Tsaknakis stated, Maziotis’ team would strike using a pure oxygen and acetylene mix bomb, which is considered to be one of the most powerful explosives.
In the notepad discovered in the garage, the dates said that the 1st and 2nd of October were stakeout days of the New Democracy party’s offices, the 3rd was a “Dress rehearsal” day, while the 4th had a specific mention of “tupperware, bicycle and hotdogs”, the latter clearly being the explosives.
According to General Tsaknakis, the man arrested on the site is uncooperative but a fingerprint matching scan shows him having no relation to past arrests or evidence.
The 30 year-old man is accused of resisting arrest, stealing a car, causing grievous bodily harm, joining a terrorist organization, bomb building and plants to detonate it.
