The statements of the three witnesses who entered a protection program and “gave” through their descriptions to the authorities the criminal organization that operated underground among the organized fans is brought to light by newsit.gr.
All three, whose statements are included in the voluminous file of more than 5,500 pages on the criminal group that operated on the fans, have been included in the special program and indeed for security reasons, not even their names are mentioned but only the codes: 67B, 67E, 67F.
The witnesses give important information about the leaders, the x-ray of the organization and the roles of the so-called “Big” leaders and the “Little” ones who put them for a pocket money or a treat of beer to do from “hits” on the police and rivals, to “errands” that had to do with “protection” and drug trafficking. The punishments meted out to those who disobeyed the orders are mentioned of the leaders, while the murderous attack of December 7, 2023, outside the Rentis stadium, which “took” the life of police officer Giorgos Lyggeridis in the most brutal way, unfolds.
Witnesses describe the whole creepy orchestrated scene that began with the call through closed communication groups, tthe order given to the small army of hooligans by a man in black with bony gloves who shouted “Let’s go!”the warlike “mosaic” set up outside the “Melina Merkouri” with the expired naval flares and molotov cocktails, to the attempt to disappear elements by the participants who collected the remains of the mechanisms to disappear so that the police would not find them, for the elements that were unloaded in rainwater to erase fingerprints and also the burning of clothes in the toilets of the stadium so that the perpetrators could not be identified by their pursuers.
Witness 67B: “The leader gives orders. Those who don’t they obey they are beaten and beaten”
The first witness with the code 67B, in the 6-page statement he gave to Security officers at 11:25 am on January 25, 2024, states among other things: “I have been a fan for several years. In the old days, specifically before 2018, I was registered with the old link, that is, I went regularly with my friends to watch matches and get tickets. Regarding the incident that took place in Rentis on December 7, 2023 with the fatal injury of the policeman I want to report to you what I know from the incidents that I was present and saw with my own eyes as well as what I heard from people belonging to the organized fans. Many of the organized ones stand out, I mean I see them alone sitting and moving freely in all areas of the stadiums without restrictions. In other words, they enter in whatever order they want during the match, they walk around the pitch and some of them give orders and the press organ conveys them to the organized fans with duduka”.
When asked by the police if he knows the faces of the leaders with their nicknames and photos, the witness answers positively. In fact, for one of the leading executives, he states that he has seen him several times, mentioning his characteristics and the way he acts: “He also gives the orders to the organizer and when some disobey he gathers a group of his own people and they thump and beat the disobedient people». In the following lines, the witness mentions specific persons and situations that have to do with the ways in which the members of the group made money while again recognizing persons from photographs shown by the police making their work easy.
Witness 67E: After the attacks on opponents and policemen they discuss and brag to each other – The X-ray of the “big” and the “small”
At 10:10 in the morning of December 24, the witness with the code 67E, crosses the threshold of the GADA and gives a statement to the officers of the Department of Sports Violence. On the 26 pages of his description, he states, among other things, that: “I am a fan and, after the Rentis incident, I would like to report to you the incidents in which I was either present and the same with my own eyes or heard about by other people who belong to organized fans as after incidents involving attacks on opposing fans or even on police officers the people who commit these acts tend to discuss them with each other and brag about them.” And this witness is shown photographs of the leaders and other leading figures whom he recognizes.
It is interesting to see the x-ray he gives of the so-called “Bigs” as well as the “Littles” of the organization: “by “Bigs”, I mean people over the age of 25 who are actively involved, attend many matches, arrange issues related to the organization of the stand, the transport of the banners, flares and smoke generators and make decisions about the big falls on opponents as well as on police officers. Here I want to note that the naval flares and smoke bombs are all out. In addition to the “Big Ones”, the “Little Ones” also play a very important role. Calling “Littles” while people between the ages of 16 and 24 or so who have recently joined and are being used by the “Bigs” to be able to have numerical superiority when they carry out their attacks. When I say joined I mean that they have been accepted and operate with criminal activity, either autonomously or together with other groups”.
Also, the “Bigs” send the “Littles” on various errands such as to get them skewers and beers and they treat them too or give them a small amount of money. All of the above combined with the awe and respect that the “Small” feel for the “Big” is enough for them to submit to all their orders. In other words, when they are called for knocking down opponents or policemen, they gather mainly at night, as well as for other types of illegalities, such as protection and drugs.”
Regarding the murderous attack on December 7th outside the Melina Merkouri stadium, the witness states the following: “I’m sure the call was made through online communication apps where they have group chats. It was heard that the plan was to carry out an attack against the MATatzides at the specific stadium because it does not have cameras and therefore it would be particularly difficult for the authorities to identify it. While at first it sounded like there was going to be a police raid after the match ended, at the end of the first set, we heard orders to get out.”
“They were looking for the remains of the flares to eliminate them. They threw the items into rainwater and burned their clothes in the toilets of the stadium.”
Witness 67E continues with the description of the murderous attack against the police officer Giorgos Lyggeridis. “Almost 100 to 150 people came out, Mr. Pizzirikades. When we got outside I saw two original members standing outside the door handing out naval flares and molotov cocktails while some others had their own smoke bombs, flare launchers and naval flares. After these items were distributed we were instructed to go to where the MATatjis were and attack them with these items.
When we got out we walked for over a minute, turned left and left again and as you tell me it’s the 28th of October, Agias Annis and Papadiamantis streets. There were two executives in the front and we followed them. According to the order of an executive, when he would drop the molotov he was holding, we would continue with the items we had. That’s how it happened, reaching a distance of about 50 meters from the MATatzides, one of the members threw a molotov which was a half liter plastic water bottle with gasoline in which a black dynamite is wrapped around it. Because he held it too long in his hands, the molotov went off in the air and not at the police. Another member held a ball-point pen, a naval flare and a Molotov cocktail.
The attacks lasted 10 to 15 minutes and as soon as the second platoon came from Kifissos we were ordered to return to the field and ran to avoid being arrested. Before we entered the stadium I remember one official being very concerned about the naval flare he threw at the police. He was looking for the remnant of the navy which he had given to someone else to dispose of. So did the others from whom they participated. They made sure to throw the remains into rainwater and some burned them in the toilets of the stadium. Also, those who took part in the incidents burned their clothes apparently in order not to be identified by the police». The specific witness was asked to give three additional statements in which he recognizes persons who had entered the microscope of EL.AS.
Witness 67F: They were dressed in black, with helmets, full face masks and bone gloves. I saw a man in black talking on a cell phone and yelling “Let’s go!”
At 10:30 in the morning of February 7, 2024, the third witness with the code 67F begins to unfold everything he knows about the criminal organization and lived that freezing night of December 7 outside the Melina Merkouri Stadium.
“On December 7, on social networks they called for the stadium not to be empty and I decided to go. I arrived at the stadium about an hour before the start of the match. At the end of the first set, I saw a crowd on the court and saw people wearing helmets, full face masks and gloves. There were about 80 people and they all came out. While everyone was getting dressed I saw a man in black with covered features talking on his cell phone and yelling “Let’s go!”. I went out five to 10 minutes after the group of masked people left to see what was going on. I saw objects being thrown at the police and maybe molotov cocktails because I saw flashes but I’m not entirely sure about that. However, I heard a bang from an AK, that is, from an improvised explosive device, consisting of a plastic water bottle, inside which gasoline and a firecracker are placed. At one point tear gas was fired by the police and all the fans ran into the stadium. Then I also entered the stadium and the canteen.
Then some came out again and the police fired tear gas into the parking lot as well. Thus the atmosphere became stifling and chaos prevailed. I also saw smoke coming out of the toilets. As soon as it was learned that we would be promoted, several people started jumping into the field. Some vandalized the canteen, damaged and took products and some set fire to the toilets burning clothes». In the following lines of the testimony, the witness “gives” faces, while also mentioning past attacks.
The legal point of view
The lawyer for eight of the defendants, Mr. Alexandros Papaioannidis, speaking to newsIT.gr, states that his principals, after the deadline they received, are expected to apologize on Saturday, pointing out that with the information gathered by the authorities so far, the defendants are not to be involved in the case.
Tags: fire statements witnesses newsit .gr
-
