Kidnappers release Greek businessman

23/06/2008

ATHENS, Greece -- Industrialist George Milonas, kidnapped in Thessaloniki at the beginning of June, was released and returned home early Monday (June 23rd), police officials announced. Shortly after the Milonas abduction, kidnappers contacted his wife and told her the location of the businessman's car. A note inside it demanded a 30m-euro ransom -- police sources quoted on Monday suggested that Milonas's family paid a 12m-euro ransom. Police suspect the involvement of at least five Greek nationals. They are investigating the possible role of notorious criminal Vassilis Paleokostas. In 1995, he and his brother, Nikos Paleokostas, kidnapped a prominent businessman and received more than 700,000 euros -- at current rates -- as ransom. Nikos is still in jail, but Vassilis managed to escape from one of the most heavily guarded prisons in Athens last year. (ANA-MPA Sky, Reuters, AFP, RIA Novosti, ERT, In News, Naftemporiki - 23/06/08)