17 Nov 2013

Golden Dawn killings claimed by mystery group

10:04 am on 17 November 2013

A previously unknown group in Greece has claimed responsibility for the killings of two Golden Dawn members earlier this month.

In a statement, the People's Struggling Revolutionary Powers said the killings were in response to the killing of Pavlos Fyssas, an anti-fascist rapper, on 18 September.

Greek news portal Zougla said an anonymous caller gave instructions for finding the statement, which was on a USB memory stick in a plastic bag at a location in a suburb of Athens.

The statement also accused Golden Dawn, a neo-Nazi group, of beating and killing migrants and leftists over the past two years.

Golden Dawn members Emmanuel Kapelonis, 22, and Giorgos Foundoulis, 27, were killed on 1 November in a drive-by shooting outside an office of the party in Athens.

Last week, Public Order Minister Nikos Dendias warned of "the beginning of a spiral of terrorist attacks and a bloody vendetta with insecurity spreading in society".

The government had previously been accused of turning a blind eye to Golden Dawn's activities.

Six of the party's elected MPs have been charged with belonging to a criminal organisation since the killing of Mr Fyssas.