Ever since 2007 the US embassy in Athens has asked three times for the dismissal of the policeman, who two days ago shot at a bodyguard, guarding the ambassador’s house and wounded his severely. The official statement of the diplomatic mission claims that their security had made many phone calls to the police station, in order to ask for the policeman’s dismissal because he had strange behavior. The conversations took place on February 7^th, April 20^th and July 17 2007.

Yesterday the security director of the US embassy met with the director of the Greek police Vasilis Tziatouras, in order to inform him about the case. The phone conversations were done with the director of the local police station in the central neighborhood Ambelokipi, where the US embassy and the ambassador’s house are located. The director of the police station overlooked the conversation and forgot to inform his seniors about the request and now he will stand in front of the court – right now he is dismissed.

Yesterday the policeman who shot with two bullets the 31 year old bodyguard of the US ambassador Daniel Speckhard gave statements in front of the case investigator. He is accused of premeditated murder and of illegal weapon use. The examination took 30 minutes. According to his lawyers the examination was formal because on Thursday night his psychological condition went for the worse. The investigator ordered him to go to the psychiatric clinic in the Athenian prison Koridalos. The lawyers asked for his placement in a community psychiatric clinic but their request was not granted.

On the day of the accident the parents of the 38 year old policeman admitted that their son has fear neurosis, he is seeing a psychiatrist and he is taking antidepressants.