Greek court upholds monks' bomb convictions, trims sentences
THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — An appeals court in the northern city of Thessaloniki has upheld the bombing convictions of a monk and the abbot of a 1,000-year-old monastery deemed schismatic by the Greek Orthodox church, and cut their sentences from 20 to 17 years.
The decision followed a firebomb attack in 2013 on a court bailiff and his brother trying to evict the monks from a building in Karyes, capital of the Mt. Athos monastic community. Neither man was hurt.
The court convicted Antypas, one of the Esphigmenou Monastery's 118 monks, of throwing firebombs and Abbot Methodios of incitement. Another six monks, sentenced to 10 years as accessories, had their terms cut Thursday by seven months.
None were present in court. All were free pending the appeal trial, and are being sought by police.
