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Citizens of Arab countries involved in armed clashes against the forces of the Assad regime pass the Kipi border crossing in order to enter Syria. On January 26, a 44-year-old French citizen was arrested trying to transport ammunition outside Greece hidden in a truck. A 33-year-old Russian citizen was also arrested in the same vehicle. Daggers, bayonets, machetes, firecrackers and telescopic sights for night vision were also discovered.

According to well-informed sources, the Frenchman is of Chechen origin and has fought on the side of the Islamists against Russian troops. In recent years, he has been residing in France, where, besides political asylum, he has managed to also obtain citizenship. From the investigation of European offices it emerged that the truck, which he used together with his Russian accomplice, belonged to a Chechen resident in Norway, and that its final destination was Syria. According to sources, the two detainees would have supported or even participated in the battles in Syria on the side of the organization ISIL - Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. This is a jihadist organization, an al-Qaeda faction, which appeared in Iraq and has powerful cores in Iraq and Syria. As a well-informed source revealed for Kathimerini, officers of foreign security services were investigating the possibility that the two Chechen Islamists were trying to reach Sochi in Russia, where the 2014 Winter Olympics were held.

www.crashonline.gr

A source of the Greek police told Kathimerini that European citizens of Arab origin, travelling towards Syria, entered Greece through the port of Igoumenitsa or the Bulgarian-Greek border and left through the Greek-Turkish border. "Most of them have legitimate European passports and can easily move within the Schengen area," he added.

The same source revealed that in many cases they use the guise of being members of organizations transporting humanitarian aid. For example, an officer of the customs office in Kipi, Evros, told Kathimerini that Europeans and Syrians transporting medicines in ambulances to Syria crossed the Greek-Turkish border approximately every two months. He added that the customs office in Alexandroupolis has arrested a man of Syrian origin with an official British passport, who transported dozens of masks for protection against radiation and biochemical weapons to Syria.

www.crashonline.gr

Syrian citizens who are trying to enter their country using forged or stolen passports are also frequently arrested. On 20 February, a 28-year-old Syrian with a foreign passport was arrested at Kipi border crossing point. There was a similar incident on 3 February, when a 36 -year-old citizen of Cameroon was arrested who showed fake documents while exiting the country – a Belgian identity card and driving licence. On 22 December, the police in Kipi arrested a 47 -year-old citizen of Iraq with fake Cypriot documents. "Many of these cases include Islamists who were either wanted or did not want to reveal their identity," commented a senior officer based in Evros.

The Greek police are seriously dealing with the issue, which was also discussed at the latest Council of Ministers of Internal Affairs of the EU.