Greek minister says police will solve 2010 Athens bank arson case

Greece's police minister, Michalis Chrysochoidis, said authorities will solve a 2010 bank arson case in Athens that killed three people, including a pregnant woman, during an anti-austerity protest.

Chrysochoidis told Ta Nea daily that the case was watertight after two men were arrested in the Athens area this week. A woman is also to be extradited from Britain over the case. The minister said there was evidence and that the law had been fully observed under the supervision of prosecutors.

The attack happened on May 5, 2010, when a firebomb was thrown at the Marfin bank in central Athens during an anti-austerity protest. Three bank workers died. Three bank officials later received manslaughter sentences for negligence, but those responsible for the arson had not been caught.

Chrysochoidis, who was also police minister at the time of the attack, said the case had left a mark on him. In another interview this week, he said he had personally worked with officers on the case for two years.

The attack came three days after the socialist government of George Papandreou signed the first of three eventual bailouts with the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the IMF. The bailouts would total 350 billion euros, or about $400 billion at today's exchange rate.

News reports this week said police identified the suspects using advanced digital photographic analysis and a tip from an anonymous email. Lawyers for the suspects described the evidence cited as scant and unreliable. Chrysochoidis said police are still seeking additional suspects, saying some perpetrators have not yet been identified.