Greece bans Siemens suspects from travel

15/06/2009

ATHENS, Greece -- Greek prosecutors have banned 21 suspects in an ongoing corruption probe from leaving the country, media reported on Saturday (June 13th). The ban was issued after two suspects, former Siemens executives Christos Karavellas and Michalis Christoforakos, fled abroad. No one has been formally charged yet in the case, which involves alleged bribery by officials at Siemens' Greek branch in exchange for lucrative contracts.

In other news, Greek coastguards detained Sunday 128 illegal immigrants, including eight children, in two separate operations off the islands of Lesbos and Samos. The immigrants had entered Greek territorial waters from Turkey via three boats. A suspected human trafficker was also arrested in the operations. (ANA-MPA, ERT, DPA - 14/06/09, Kathimerini, AP - 13/06/09)