photo www.kathimerini.gr
Traces from a suspect for the bloody attacks in France were found in Greece. A Syrian passport was found next to the body of one of the terrorists who blew himself up in front of the Stade de France, with its owner having passed through Leros and been registered on the island on 3 October 2015. "We do not know whether the passport has been checked by other countries through which the man had most likely passed. Even amidst these impediments, we will keep working for the security of the country and of Europe," said Nikos Toskas, deputy minister for citizens' protection, in a written statement.
The French authorities have asked the Greek police and security services to provide them with information related to suspects who are probably involved in the Paris attacks, and might have passed through Greece.
Initially, France had made an enquiry as to whether the holder of the Syrian passport, found at the spot of one of the attacks, had been through Greece. Finger and palm prints were also sent to help find out whether the passport belonged to one of the dead terrorists or had changed hands somewhere along the way.
The investigation carried out by the Greek police and security services has confirmed that indeed the passport holder had travelled through Greece and was a Syrian citizen.
French authorities have sent a similar request regarding two other individuals, but have received no results as yet.
The Greek authorities are in constant contact with the French secret services, as well as with similar structures of other countries, while swapping information on persons who may have a connection with the jihadists. Orders were issued to intensify the monitoring of people and websites. Nikos Toskas constantly receives feedback from police chief Dimitris Tsaknakis and National Intelligence Service chief Yannis Roubatis. According to a representative of the ministry for citizens' protection, they have not detected any data that could raise concerns about a possible terrorist attack against Greece.
Meanwhile, it has transpired that the Syrian passport is probably fake. This is what an employee of the US secret services told CBS News. He argued that the passport number doesn't square up with Syrian official passport numbers and the photo does not match the name of the holder.
On 3 October, the passport was stamped on Leros by the Greek authorities, this being the only stamp on it. This raises the question of whether the holder has been checked at other national borders.