An Athens court acquitted on Friday three defendants including bank robber and anarchist Nikos Romanos, while it found two women guilty in connection with a deadly explosion at an apartment in the Ambelokipi district in October 2024.

The Three-Member Felony Appeals Court followed the recommendation of prosecutor who had called for the conviction of two defendants and the acquittal of the remaining three.

32-year-old Romanos was remanded in custody after his fingerprint was allegedly found on a plastic bag containing a firearm in the apartment, where authorities also discovered a large quantity of explosives. He had been held for asmost 18 months in pretrial detention in connection with the case.

During court proceedings, the prosecutor expressed doubts about his involvement, citing the presence of additional unidentified fingerprints on the bag and questioning the assumption that it was used only once. She also argued that the ideological context of anarchist circles did not necessarily indicate direct involvement in handling the materials.

Nikos Romanos was a friend of 15-year-old Alexis Grigoropoulos and was with him on the night that he was shot dead by a special guard and police officer in Exarcheia, central Athens in December 2008

Investigators believe the October 2024 explosion in the residential building that killed one man and seriously injured his girlfriend, was accidental, daily kathimerini reported.

The ruling paves the way for Romanos’ release from custody, while proceedings continue for the two women found guilty.