“Some people, who in my eyes are criminals, wanted to take lives without thinking about the pain they could cause through their own sick thoughts and ideas. I hope that the families of those who did this never experience anything similar — may God watch over them and guide them toward the right path, not the one they are on. I believe our Democracy has the strength to find them and give them a fair trial, as it always does.”
These are the heartbreaking words of Panagiotis, the father of political candidate Afroditi Nestora, who lost his wife in the gas canister attack on their home in Thessaloniki. He has since been discharged from hospital.
Panagiotis Nestoras broke down on camera as he spoke, saying he forgives the bombers — a moment made all the more devastating by the fact that this is his second devastating loss in just a few years, following the death of his younger daughter. At the same time, he is calling for the perpetrators to be arrested and brought to justice, and is waiting for his daughter — who remains hospitalized with burns — to be discharged so the family can finally hold a funeral for her mother. “As soon as my daughter is released, we will hold the funeral. I want the perpetrators to be caught and brought to justice,” he said.
Thessaloniki gas canister attacks: Injured survivors return home
Another survivor has returned to the apartment building where the attack took place. Visibly emotional, he walked through the structure — blackened by smoke and fire — and expressed gratitude to God for having survived.
Meanwhile, authorities are conducting a sweep of mobile phone data from devices that were in the area during the hours of the deadly attacks.
At the same time, meetings and contacts among individuals linked to the anti-authoritarian movement have dropped sharply — almost completely — since the day of the attacks, and especially following the death of Vagia Nestora, according to a report by Panagiotis Bousios on Star channel’s midday news bulletin.
Investigations are ongoing, with authorities having requested that mobile phone companies provide a sweep of communications before and after the attacks in order to gather evidence that could lead them to the perpetrators. Regarding video footage, the search continues to widen, with authorities looking for even a single frame in which the attackers may not have fully concealed their identities.
