A 46-year-old woman accused of participating in the fatal 2010 Marfin Bank arson attack has been extradited from Great Britain to Athens. Officers from the Department for Combating Organised Crime, known as the Greek FBI, travelled to Britain to oversee her handover and escort her back to Greece. According to state broadcaster ERT, her flight landed at Eleftherios Venizelos Airport on Thursday evening, August 6.
Police transferred the suspect to holding cells at the Attica General Police Directorate, where she will remain until Friday. She is scheduled to appear before a prosecutor for the execution of an international arrest warrant before being presented to the investigating magistrate handling the case file.
Greek authorities report that the woman lived in Brighton, England, for the past six years, where she started a family and had two children. Officers arrested her early on Monday, July 13, at Gatwick Airport as she prepared to board a flight to Athens. The arrest followed an Interpol red notice issued at the request of Greek officials, which initiated extradition proceedings.
After learning she was named in the case file, the woman contacted Homicide Department officers to state that she was innocent and wished to explain her actions to Greek justice. Police believe she played a supporting role in the anti-establishment group behind the attack, helping facilitate the movements of individuals who smashed the bank window and threw flammable liquids.
Artificial intelligence and visual analysis
Investigators re-examined the case using modern visual analysis techniques and artificial intelligence at forensic laboratories. This image processing generated new evidence regarding physical features, clothing, and objects carried by suspects on the day of the attack.
Police based the woman's identification on her height, hair, ear characteristics, clothing, footwear, and backpack seen in video footage from May 5, 2010. Investigators estimate she stood next to the man who smashed the storefront, providing backup to those launching Molotov cocktails.
Role distribution in the fatal attack
According to the case file, the woman and two 42-year-old men were members of an anti-establishment group that carried out the attack on the Marfin Bank branch on Stadiou Street. Three employees died in the fire, including a pregnant woman, as trapped workers called for help while a hooded group smashed the glass facade and hurled firebombs inside during central Athens clashes.
Police concluded that the group operated with a pre-arranged plan and clear division of responsibilities for both execution and support. The two 42-year-old male defendants remain in pre-trial detention at Malandrino and Nafplio prisons.
Investigators allege that one 42-year-old served as the coordinator who directed the operation. The second 42-year-old man, known by the nickname tall, allegedly carried out the main execution by smashing the glass front while wearing a black top and a beige hat.
Security footage of the fire
Security camera footage recorded the opening seconds of the attack inside the bank branch. The video shows an employee at the teller counter noticing the danger and moving toward the entrance to find an escape route.
Dense smoke filled the bank interior within about 15 seconds after the fire started, trapping the employees inside. Trapped individuals attempted to reach balconies to find clean air and escape the burning building.
