Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-12-31

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Second day of manhunt for fugitives who killed police guards

[01] Second day of manhunt for fugitives who killed police guards

Two policemen were killed on Friday while escorting three inmates, all foreign nationals, from a police lock-up in Ioannina to a prison in Volos during an escape by two of the prisoners in their care. A third man, one of the three prisoners, was injured by gunfire.

Police are hunting for Russian national Maxim Zhilim, 23, who is wanted for murder, and 17-year-old Albanian Ilmi Dada, who assisted him in the escape.

The third prisoner, also an underage Albanian, did not participate in the attack and was found wounded inside the transport van when police arrived. The two Albanians were being held for drug-related offences.

Zhilin was convicted for the murder of a 42-year-old woman on October 2 in Corfu, whom he robbed and killed after she gave him a lift believing he was a hitchhiker.

The search operation includes police and border guards aided by special forces and police commandos flown to scene of the crime.

The armed forces have contributed two Sikorsky helicopters to the search and placed on standby one Super-Puma all-weather helicopter, two Apache helicopters and one Chinook helicopter, along with special troops.

The two officers, a driver and a guard, were killed in Malakasi, Kalambaka, when they made an unscheduled stop before a juvenile prison in Volos, where the two Albanians were to be incarcerated and Zhilin picked up by another transport van bound for an adult prison in Larissa.

According to sources, the Russian and one of the Albanians had asked to relieve themselves. The Russian asked the guard to remove the handcuffs he was wearing and when the guard complied, he assaulted him and grabbed his weapon, shooting him in the head.

With the assistance of the second Albanian, who was still in handcuffs, they overpowered the driver, whom they also shot and killed before fleeing.

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