Inmates release hostages after five-hour standoff at Greece's top prison

[News_Editor]

Inmates release hostages after five-hour standoff at Greece's top prison

2011-12-13 17:32:31 GMT+7 (ICT)

ATHENS, GREECE (BNO NEWS) -- Several inmates took a group of prison guards and visitors hostage at a top security prison in Greece on early Monday evening, officials said. They were released unharmed after about five hours.

The crisis began just after 6 p.m. local time at the Korydallos Prison when four inmates attempted to escape through the prison's visitors area but were stopped when prison guards closed the gates before they reached an outside courtyard. The inmates then returned to the visitors area where they took hostages.

According to the Ministry of Justice, the inmates took three prison guards and 29 relatives of other inmates hostage. Four elderly women who were visiting relatives at the jail were released unharmed a few hours after the hostage crisis began.

Panayiotis Vlastos, who is a convicted racketeer and murderer, and Michalis Nikolopoulos, a member of the anarchist group 'Conspiracy Nuclei of Fire', were identified as two of the hostage takers. The two other hostage takers, whose names were not immediately released, are also members of the anarchist group.

The standoff came to an end about five hours after it began when the inmates released their hostages and handed over their weapons. There were conflicting reports whether the inmates found their weapons inside the prison or if they were smuggled inside during visiting hours.

Vlastos, who is currently serving a murder and racketeering sentence, has previously broken out of a prison on two occasions. He is also being accused of ordering the kidnapping of cruise ship and shipping tycoon Pericles Panagopoulos. In 2009, Panagopoulos was kidnapped and released eight days later after a €30 million ($40.2 million) ransom was paid to the kidnappers.

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