Three arrested over firebombings of homes linked to Greek ruling party

ATHENS, July 10 - Greece’s counter-terrorism police arrested three people on Friday over a string of firebombings at homes of people linked with the governing party which killed a woman last week, its citizens' protection ministry said.

The 72-year-old mother of one of the ruling party's parliamentary candidates died of burns and four people were injured in one of three firebomb attacks in the northern city of Thessaloniki earlier this month.

The unknown assailants left gas canisters that had been set on fire outside the three buildings. The first two attacks led to blasts that caused only material damage, while the third wounded five people, including the woman who later died at a hospital.

Police have linked the suspects arrested on Friday with the third attack. They gave no further details.

Two of the targeted buildings included apartments housing figures of the ruling New Democracy, while the third was owned by a local politician from the party.

Greece has a decades-long history of bomb and arson attacks on politicians, although in recent years such incidents have tended to cause only material damage. REUTERS