Investigations into the terrorist attack in Thessaloniki that killed Vagia Nestor continue at an intense pace. According to ERT, during the Anti-Terrorist Unit’s operation at the suspect’s Thessaloniki apartment — where a 29-year-old man was arrested — he reportedly threw his mobile phone out of a window in an attempt to destroy critical evidence. The device was recovered intact and is now under forensic examination.
Phone Could Hold Crucial Clues
Authorities hope the phone will yield vital information about the fatal arson attack on the home of Aphrodite Nestor — Vagia’s mother — in northern Thessaloniki. Three suspects face multiple serious criminal charges, including premeditated homicide — both completed and attempted.
The Three Suspects
The 29-year-old is believed to have placed the incendiary device in the building’s ground-floor entrance (pylota) where the Nestor family lived. A 26-year-old woman, identified and arrested in Crete after fleeing there post-attack, is also charged as a direct perpetrator. Both are known to investigative authorities and reportedly active in anti-establishment circles.
The third suspect, aged 24, is accused of acting as the apartment’s manager — the unit used by the couple as a safe house before and after the attack. He claims he handed the keys to another friendly couple, not to the two main suspects, and says he does not know them.
A Critical Mistake: Removing the Hoods
Investigators found that the two main suspects left their temporary apartment shortly after 4 a.m., wearing hoods to conceal their identities. They had reportedly studied their route in advance, choosing paths with minimal surveillance coverage. After placing the gas canisters, they fled on a motorcycle — but just before reaching their destination, they removed their hoods. As a result, their faces were clearly captured on camera.
Broader Network Suspected
The Anti-Terrorist Unit believes the series of arson attacks — including those targeting the homes of Savvas Anastasiadis and Zisis Ioakeimovits — were carried out by members of the same group, split into two subunits. So far, three additional individuals involved in those attacks remain unidentified.