Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-12-30

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Manhunt launched for escaped convicts that killed police escort

[02] PM and interior minister discuss revision of Constitution

[03] Deputy defence minister visits military hospitals

[01] Manhunt launched for escaped convicts that killed police escort

Police say they are now hunting for Russian national Maxim Zhilim, 23, who is wanted for murder, and 17-year-old Albanian Ilmi Dada that assisted him in his escape. The third prisoner, also an underage Albanian, did not participate in the attack and was found wounded inside the transport van when police arrived. The two underage Albanians were being held for drug-related offences.

Zhilin was convicted for the murder of a 42-year-old woman on October 2 in Corfu, whom he robbed and killed after she had picked him up with her car when she saw him hitch-hiking by the side of the road.

A massive manhunt that was launched to apprehend the two fugitives has so far failed to find any trace of them, police said.

The two officers, one driver and a guard, were killed at around 11:00 in the morning at Malakasi in Kalambaka, when they made an unscheduled stop while in transit toward the juvenile prisons in Volos, where the two Albanians were to be incarcerated and Zhilin picked up by another transport van bound for the adult prisons in Larissa.

According to sources, the Russian and one of the Albanians had asked to be let off in order to relieve themselves. The Russian asked the guard to remove the handcuffs he was wearing and, when the guard complied, he assaulted and grabbed the guard's weapon, shooting him in the head.

With the assistance of the second Albanian, who was still in handcuffs, they then managed to overpower the driver, whom they also shot and killed before fleeing.The three prisoners were being escorted by just two officers from the Ioannina Prisoners Transfer department.

When the escape was discovered, the bodies of the slain policemen were first taken to Kalambaka Health Centre at 12:20, where doctors pronounced them dead on arrival, and then taken to Trikala Hospital.

A massive operation has been launched to find the two men throughout the surrounding region, with the participation of police, border guards. A C-130 military transport plane has departed from Athens, meanwhile, carrying special forces units and police commandos in cars to take part in the manhunt.

Later in the day, it was announced that the Armed Forces had contributed two Sikorsky helicopters to the search, as well as the C-130 transport plane. In the meantime, in response to requests from the public order and national defence ministries, the Armed Forces have placed on standby one Super-Puma all-weather helicopter, two Apache helicopters and one Chinook helicopter, along with a company of special forces troops, to be deployed as deemed necessary.

At the public order ministry, Public Order Minister George Voulgarakis and police chief George Aggelakos have been coordinating and monitoring efforts to apprehend the two fugitives since the escape was first discovered.

[02] PM and interior minister discuss revision of Constitution

Pavlopoulos said that details on the procedure to be followed and the specific articles of the Constitution that were to be revised would be made public as soon as the government's deliberations were completed.

[03] Deputy defence minister visits military hospitals

Deputy Defence Minister Vassilis Mihaloliakos on Friday visited the Navy Hospital of Piraeus, the NIMTS military hospital, the Navy Hospital of Athens, the 401 army hospital and the 251 airforce hospital in order to exchange New Year gifts and wishes with patients.

Mihaloliakos also praised the contribution made by military hospitals to public health and said that they could act as the flagship of efforts by Health Minister Nikitas Kaklamanis to improve public and private healthcare.

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article