Athanasiou accused Dendias for Xiros’ escape

Justice Minister Charalambos Athanasiou blamed the Korydallos Prison Board for the leave it granted to Christodoulos Xiros and left hints against the leadership of the Public Order Ministry for not watching him during the time of his leave.

In an interview with the Hellenic Public Radio Television (DT) at the informal Council of Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs (in Zappeion), Athanasiou admitted that "there were mistakes in Xiros’ Case. It should not have been so easy for him to take leaves."

Asked by journalists about whether there are responsibilities of the board that gave issued the leaves Athanasiou replied "the Board had to decide whether there were the conditions for granting these leaves. To be honest, I think there were mistakes by the council that gave a leave permission to a prisoner with so many serious charges, and his behavior in jail was not the most suitable."

In an observation of journalists that "he should not take leaves so easily," the Justice Minister said, "I believe this. This was a mistake. The leave is granted by a tripartite committee chaired by a public prosecutor, the second member is the director of the prison and the third member is the head of social services. I think this was a misapplication of a bad law. Apart from that when such a criminal is out of jail he should be watched."

"Do you believe he was not being watched?" journalists asked and Athanasiou replied "I do not know. I have the impression that he was. But this is not the issue. The issue is that we have a situation where he has escaped. He even has the audacity to threaten society and the Greek people with new terrorist acts. This is what makes us rethink the whole legal framework with the leave permits and the detentions."

Asked about the review of the legislative framework Athanasiou replied that it is "clearly in the direction of becoming tighter. Especially for such criminals and crimes of such gravity."