46-year-old woman extradited from UK to Greece over 2010 Marfin bank arson that killed three

The extradition

A 46-year-old woman accused of participating in the fatal arson of the Marfin bank branch in central Athens is being transferred from the United Kingdom to Greece on August 6, 2026. A team from Greece's Organized Crime Directorate, referred to in Greek media as the "Greek FBI," traveled to Britain to escort her. Her arrival in Athens is expected on the evening of Thursday, August 6, via a commercial passenger flight. She had been arrested in the early hours of July 13 at Gatwick Airport, where she worked, after an Interpol red notice was activated.

The suspect had lived in Brighton with her family for the past 6 to 8 years, depending on the source. She appeared before Westminster Magistrates' Court and consented to the Greek extradition request, waiving her right to appeal under British law. She signed a letter committing not to change her stance. She had previously informed Greek authorities through her lawyer that she intended to return voluntarily to Greece to defend herself, but the international arrest warrant had already been issued, leading British authorities to proceed with the arrest.

The 2010 attack

The arson attack on the Marfin bank branch at Stadiou Street 23 took place on May 5, 2010, during anti-austerity protests in Athens. The fire killed three bank employees: Angeliki Papathanassopoulou, who was pregnant, Epameinondas Tsakalis, and Paraskevi Zoulia. The unborn child of Papathanassopoulou also died. The case remains one of the most serious acts of political violence in modern Greek history.

The investigation and suspects

The 46-year-old was identified as suspect "number 7" among 12 individuals examined by investigators. She was described as the woman with the "blonde braid." Bank employees testified that a woman with a braid was among two females present with three men who broke the windows and started the fire, and that she shouted "Burn them" toward the male attackers. Her identification was the most difficult of the three arrests, as it relied primarily on body type and hair appearance from the day of the attack, cross-referenced with social media images.

Two other suspects, both 42-year-old men nicknamed "Tall" and "Airman," corresponding to suspects number 8 and 10, were arrested on July 10, 2026. After testifying before investigating authorities, they were ordered to pre-trial detention and transferred to Malandrino and Nafplio prisons. Suspects number 9 and 12, who are believed to have thrown Molotov cocktails and flammable liquid inside the bank, remain unidentified.

Next steps in the judicial process

Upon arrival in Athens, the 46-year-old will be taken to the holding cells of the Attica General Police Directorate (GADA). On the morning of Friday, August 7, she will be brought before the competent prosecutor for the formal execution of the arrest warrant. She will then be referred to the investigating magistrate handling the case. Her defense is expected to request a deadline to review the full case file, study the evidence collected by investigators, and prepare her testimony. She denies participation in the arson to this day.