Magistrate orders raids on state services

A special magistrate that is overseeing an ongoing investigation into the disastrous wildfires in Mati, eastern Attica, that killed more than 100 people in the summer of 2018 yesterday ordered raids on all state services that were involved in the operation to put out the blaze in a bid to determine whether any potentially incriminating evidence has been covered up. The official attended the raids which led to the confiscation of documents and other evidence that might be useful in the probe which is seeking to establish whether any state officials should face criminal charges in connection with the tragedy. According to sources, the raids were ordered on the basis of tip-offs as well as indications from the probe that evidence might have been covered up. Among the services raided were the headquarters of Greece’s fire service in Halandri, northern Athens. In March of last year, a prosecutor brought charges of negligent arson, negligent manslaughter and grievous bodily harm through negligence against 20 current and former state officials in connection with the Mati affair, but the probe has since stalled.