Greek prosecutors on Friday are starting to question 105 people held after a football fan, 29-year-old Michalis Katsouris, was stabbed to death during clashes between fans of Dinamo Zagreb and AEK Athens in the Greek capital earlier this week.
The suspects are accused of a variety of crimes and misdemeanours including involvement in a criminal organisation, possession of explosives and weapons and involvement in violence.
Because the person responsible for Katsouris’ killing has not yet been identified, no murder charges have yet been brought against any of the accused.
According to the Greek public broadcaster ERT, five men are considered suspects in Katsouris’ death so far, one of Croatian origin, one of Albanian origin, and three Greeks.
It’s expected that the questioning of the 105 detainees will be completed on Sunday.
On the night of August 7, before a UEFA Champions League qualifying match between Dinamo Zagreb and AEK Athens, violent clashes broke out between fans of the two teams.
Katsouris, an AEK fan, was stabbed and killed. According to the forensic examination, he died of uncontrollable bleeding after the knife attack cut an artery and blood vessels.
Much criticism has been levelled at the Greek police and government for the way the case was handled.
Foreign authorities had informed the Greek police about the identities of potentially unruly Dinamo fans and their arrival in Greece, and about the team’s relationship with AEK’s Athenian rivals Panathinaikos. However, no preventative measures were taken to avoid incidents.
Katsouris’s funeral will be held on Friday at 5pm Greek time. His family asked mourners to donate to an association for children with cancer instead of purchasing wreaths.
“He helped self-sacrificingly during the fires [in Greece this summer], helped the homeless and had great faith in God. That’s why his family decided that instead of laying wreaths, donations should be made for children, to the ELPIDA Association of Friends of Children with cancer, in memory of our deceased,” the family said in a message.
Source : Balkan Insight
