Greek authorities are intensifying efforts to solve the deadly 2010 arson attack on the Marfin Bank branch on Stadiou Street in central Athens. The fire, which broke out during a protest on May 5, 2010, killed three bank employees. In a recent development, police have arrested two 42-year-old men as part of ongoing investigations into the incident.
Breakthrough from Visual Evidence
Crucial progress has come from video footage, photographs, backpacks recovered from the scene, and an anonymous email — all of which helped identify suspects and led to the two arrests. Investigators have now placed at least two additional individuals under scrutiny.
According to police, the attack was highly organized, involving a total of 12 people divided into coordinated teams — some acting as executors, others as coordinators. Seven targeted a nearby bookstore, while five moved toward the bank. To avoid identification, participants used numbers instead of names. The two arrested men were assigned numbers 8 and 11; a 46-year-old woman believed to hold number 10 is currently in Brighton, UK, and faces an extradition warrant.
The Suspects
The man identified as ‘number 8’ — described by investigators as “the tall one” — is 42 years old, stands 1.91 meters tall, and comes from a wealthy family. He had previously been arrested for drug-related offenses. Surveillance images show him carrying a distinctive backpack with a hand-drawn symbol and a cross — and appear to capture him smashing the bank’s glass window with a metal bar.
The second suspect, ‘number 11’, is also 42. A former occupant of squats in central Athens, he is believed to have directed parts of the operation.
The 46-year-old woman, linked to number 10, has lived in Brighton for several years, works at Gatwick Airport, and is active in photography. Her presence at the scene was reportedly captured by a camera mounted on a building opposite the bank.
Key Photos Enter the Investigation
According to reports by Mega TV and investigative journalist Vasilis Lampropoulos, newly analyzed photographs taken at the moment of the attack proved pivotal. Some of these images — described as ‘decisive’ — clearly show members of the arson group, including three of those already arrested. One photo depicts a tall man matching the description of ‘number 8’; another shows a woman whose appearance aligns with that of the suspect in the UK.
The source of these photos is considered one of the most critical witnesses in the case.
Broader Context
The investigation has involved Greece’s Organized Crime Unit (DAOE), with arrests carried out in northern and western suburbs of Athens. An anonymous email — along with assistance from Greece’s equivalent of the FBI — helped advance the probe more than 16 years after the triple homicide. While two suspects are now in custody, authorities continue efforts to identify and locate at least two more individuals connected to the attack.