In the wake of the bombing of the Boston Marathon by terrorists, Greek police said they are worried that a similar attack could happen and have stepped up their scrutiny of Islamist extremists, authorities said.
The Boston bombing, the revelation by the Canadian police that Al-Qaeda wanted to put bombs on trains, as well as the arrest of extremist Islamists in Italy, Germany and France, made Greek law enforcement ramp up its watch.
“We are a transit country of a large number of migrants coming from Islamic countries, while there are many Muslims that already live in the country,” a senior officer of the Hellenic Police said. He added: “Since the application of Xenios Zeus operation and the creation of detention centers, the reactions of many extremist cycles have increased, which strengthen extremist beliefs,” referring to a roundup of immigrants in search of those in the country unlawfully.
“The fact that there are more than 140 places of worship only in Athens, as well as that individuals with no particular education become Imams in those places provoke explosive situations,” an unidentified Greek police officer said. “Especially when the audience you address to is consisted of uneducated people, breadwinners, for whom things get more and more difficult for them in our country during the two to three last years”, he added.
According to the Greek newspaper To Karfi, during the five last years in Greece, three members of extremist Islamist organizations, which are considered to be Al Qaeda’s branches, have been arrested. A network of criminals wanted by the Turkish authorities has been broken up in Thessaloniki, while two more individuals, who have been in search after USA secret services’ indication, are at deportation process.
According to the Council of Europe’s report, Greek airports have been used for the transportation of 60 people considered to participate in Al Qaeda’s organizations-branches into prisons that have been used by US authorities.
A long delay in Greece approving and paying for the building of an official mosque, which is underway, has created tension and resentment among Muslims in Greece as well. The Ministry of Public Order and Citizen Protection has tried to approach members of migrant organizations as official interlocutors and through them try to control the likelihood of extremism rising.
In cases as the Pakistan and Afghan Community, which consist of the majority of migrants in Greece, this plan has failed. On the contrary, representatives of these communities complain more and more that people acting as Imams have been led to police stations without cause, intensifying concern among Greek officials.
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