Greek police find weapons at captured extremist’s hideout

ATHENS, Greece – Investigators found a cache of weapons at the hideout of captured left-wing extremist Pola Roupa, officials said Sunday.

Police said they uncovered two assault rifles, two pistols and four grenades as well as bullets. They also found a significant amount of cash and impounded a car Roupa bought in December 2016.

Roupa, 48, who had been on the run since 2012, was arrested Thursday in Athens along with Constantina Athanassopoulou 25, who was charged with helping shelter Roupa.

The two women, along with Roupa’s partner Nikos Maziotis, started a hunger and thirst strike Friday alleging authorities were holding Maziotis’ and Roupa’s 6-year-old son “hostage.”

The two arrested women were hospitalized Sunday. Custody of the boy was given to Roupa’s mother later Sunday.

Roupa and Maziotis previously were convicted in absentia of participating in the armed anarchist group Revolutionary Struggle, which has carried out bombings and shootings, including firing a rocket at the U.S. Embassy in Athens in 2007.

Because of court delays, their pre-trial detention in 2011 exceeded the 18-month limit and they were freed on bail. The two vanished in 2012, along with their son.

Maziotis was recaptured in 2014 after a shootout with police in central Athens. Both admit involvement with Revolutionary Struggle and describe themselves as unrepentant revolutionaries.