The Joint Jury Court of Edessa has handed prison sentences ranging from 6 to 11 years to three Turkish nationals convicted in connection with the shooting of a National Intelligence Service (NIS) officer last May in Tagarades, Thessaloniki.

The court found the 50-year-old main defendant—who, according to the case file, fired the shots—guilty of attempted manslaughter and illegal possession and use of weapons. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison, along with an additional one-year concurrent sentence.

His 24-year-old accomplice received a 9-year prison sentence, while the 44-year-old third defendant was sentenced to 6 years for simple complicity in the attempted murder.

No extenuating circumstances were granted, and following the verdict, all three returned to prison, where they had been held since their initial apologies before the Thessaloniki interrogator.

The Incident

The episode occurred on May 27, 2025, during an operation targeting Turkish organized crime groups operating in Greece. The three accused, suspected members of a criminal organization, were traveling in a jeep that was under surveillance by intelligence officers.

According to the indictment, the suspects stopped at a petrol station, where the 50-year-old exited the vehicle and fired at an NIS staff car, which was occupied only by the driver. No injuries resulted, and the three fled the scene.

Within 24 hours, following a police manhunt, the main defendant—who appeared to be planning to flee to Bulgaria—was arrested in a mountainous village in Rodopi. Before the Edessa Mixed Jury Court, he claimed he acted out of fear and panic, believing he was threatened by individuals connected to his home country’s secret services.

“In no way would I have acted like that if I knew they were NIS officers,” he stated, asking the court for forgiveness.

His two co-defendants were arrested a few days later in the Bulgarian city of Svilengrad, near the Turkish border, and extradited to Greece. They maintained their innocence, stating: “We had no participation or involvement in the incident, nor did we know that our compatriot was armed.”

The NIS officers involved did not appear at the evidentiary hearing, and their statements were read aloud by the court. The verdict was delivered late last night.