Update | Greek police arrest neo-Nazi Golden Dawn leadership
Crackdown on country's third most popular political grouping follows neo-Nazi's killing of a leftist musician, which drew nationwide protests
Greek police yesterday swooped on the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party, arresting its leadership and hunting for dozens of members across the country in a crackdown sparked by the murder of a leftist musician.
The arrests came a day after Golden Dawn threatened to pull its lawmakers out of parliament, a move that could spark a political crisis in the recession-hit country.
In dawn raids, Greek antiterror police arrested party leader Nikos Michaloliakos along with party spokesman and MP Ilias Kassidiairis, two other lawmakers and a dozen party members, police said.
The charges against them ranged from belonging to a "criminal organisation" to murder and assault, according to a source in the justice ministry.
About a dozen party members, including two police officers, in the Athens area were also being questioned in the ongoing police operation which is expected to lead to more arrests, police and judicial sources said.
The party urged its followers to demonstrate against what it called an "illegal decision" and several hundred faithful had gathered in front of police headquarters in the capital Athens. Amid a sea of Greek flags, the protesters chanted the party's slogan, "Blood, honour, Golden Dawn", watched over by anti-riot police.
The police sweep came after the country's Supreme Court, which has been charged with investigating the group, issued arrest warrants for some 30 members.