Greece: Terror suspects offered money to target Jewish site

Greek authorities say police were continuing searches in Athens and other parts of the country today following the arrest of two suspects accused of planning an attack at a Jewish center in a busy downtown area of the Greek capital.

The two men, described of being of Pakistani origin but not further identified, were charged yesterday with terrorism offenses, while a third man believed to be in Iran was charged in absentia.

Public Order Minister Takis Theodorikakos says it was likely the two suspects had been offered money to carry out the attack.

“From the evidence we have obtained, the motivation appears to be financial. The organizer they consulted with was a fellow countryman in Iran,” Theodorikakos tells private Antenna television.

Rabbi Mendel Hendel, who runs the Chabad Jewish center, says he learned about the planned attack on the news. “Thank God we are safe. We’re grateful that this act of terrorism was prevented,” Hendel says in a statement with his wife Nechama emailed to the Associated Press. “We would like to publicly thank the Greek authorities.”