Far-left group claims responsibility for journalist murder

Photo: Ta Nea

A Greek far-left group said on Wednesday it was responsible for the murder of a journalist earlier this month. Socratis Guiolias, a 37-year-old radio station director, was shot outside his home on 19 July. The Revolutionary Sect group said that it will turn the country into a “war zone” and warned of more attacks.

A seven-page statement published in the Ta Nea daily newspaper said the group wanted to “send a message to all prominent institutions of society and their thugs”.

“Revolutionary Sect will not leave a millimetre of safe ground in your lives. Our guns are loaded and ready to ‘talk’,” the statement said.

The group, which emerged in 2008, also said that it had information on the movements of several prominent journalists and warned of possible action against police and prison officials.

A photo included with the group’s manifesto showed its arsenal of weapons, including three Kalashnikov assault rifles, a handgun and a number of pistols.

Guiolias was targeted for running the popular troktiko blog, which the Revolutionary Sect says was used for “blackmail and slander”.

He always denied any links to the site, whose name means rodent in Greek, although after his death the site admitted he was a key contributor.

It is thought Guiolias was lured outside his home before dawn with the belief that his car was being stolen. He was then struck by a number of bullets.