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Greece has requested more stringent rules for courier companies

04 November 2010 / 14:11:13  GRReporter
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Greek judicial authorities ordered the detention in custody of 22-year-old Panagiotis Argiru who was arrested by police two days ago after being recognized by an employee in the courier company where the first of the parcel bombs in Athens exploded. He was charged for being a member of the terrorist group Conspiracy of Fire Nuclei.

Today Argiru appeared before the prosecutor who investigated the activities of the group. There is an old arrest warrant against him on charges of involvement in a criminal group, supply, possession and manufacture of explosive materials, and the explosions near the Cabinet of the Minister of Labour and Social Security Luke Katseli, in front of the house of the former Deputy Minister of Interior Panagiotis Hinofotis and in the building of the Ministry of Macedonian and Thrace regions.

Argiru and the other accused in the case of the parcel bombs – Gerasimos Tsakalos – refused to tell anything to the prosecutor. Tomorrow morning they will appear before the investigator to be questioned about 8 crimes in total.

The police disclosed the names and published the photos of five other persons who were issued arrest warrants for their involvement in the terrorist group Conspiracy of Fire Nuclei. There are phone numbers that citizens could call to provide information with guaranteed anonymity.

The Minister of Citizen Protection Christ Paputsis expressed his satisfaction with the rapid police reaction. "Do not be afraid," he said, adding that the parcel bombs case affects not only the government but society too. Concerning the packages of suspicious content that were found at the Athens airport, the Minister said that the management of the airport should not be blamed but a gap in the legislation concerning the operation of courier companies, which does not allow more effective control to be made.

The police release revealed that the parcels sent on Monday to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi were checked in line with legal regulations by private companies that perform security services at the expense of the courier companies. Upon recommendation of the police authorities, the Greek Civil Aviation has decided to suspended flights carrying parcels and small packages overseas for 48 hours in order thorough checks of the contents of the packages to be carried out.

The police issued a bulletin describing how to recognize whether a package contains a bomb and how to proceed in case we get such.

External signs of parcel bombs:
The packaging is usual.
The packaging is strong enough to withstand delivery via post or courier.
Usually bombs are designed to be triggered only at the opening of the parcel by the recipient or at taking anything away from it.
Sender and recipient addresses and particulars are related to a daily issue.

Other signs of suspicious items:
Distorted or truncated handwriting containing unfinished or sticking letters.
Misspellings or errors in the sender's name, title or location.
Incorrect data or data without mentioning the name.
When sent to an institution, mentioning the name of a particular person-target to open the parcel.
When presented as correspondence between individuals or sent to persons (such as celebrities, politicians, etc.), whose correspondence is carried out in other ways (through official channels, for example).
When there is excessive number of postage stamps or no postage stamps at all or there is no postmark on the postage stamp.
If the postmark is not stamped on the sender's address but elsewhere.
If there is no sender’s address or the address does not exist or is not complete.
If the packaging is not professionally made or excessive amount of adhesive tape or string, etc.. is used.
If the package reads "Fragile – Be careful", “Express delivery "," Personal delivery" or "Confidential delivery"
When the burden is excessive in relation to size.
If the package is strange, uneven or excessive in shape.
When the thickness is at least 6-7 mm.
When the surface is uneven.

What should you do if you find one or some of the signs mentioned above:
Do not touch the subject.
Empty the room.
Alert security officer immediately.
Indicate any information you consider useful.

Tags: Parcel bombsCourier companiesTerroristsCrime news
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