Europe’s 'shadow army': violations against refugees on the Greek borders

In a new investigation under the title of "The Shadow Army", the program "The Hidden is More Immense" revealed horrific violations against refugees at the borders of Europe.

The investigation found that the atrocities are committed by masked mercenary men whose identity is not known and who work according to a precise plan and with specific goals.

The program, which was broadcasted by Al-Jazeera channel, showed shocking scenes, testimonies, and exclusive interviews, documented the horrific violations against refugees by Greece on the Greek-Turkish borders.

The investigation indicated that the name "Shadow Army" is being used for the group in the border areas between Greece and Türkiye.

In his testimony, Yanis Varoufakis, an opposition deputy and former Greek finance minister, confirmed that European institutions, the European Union, the Greek government, and other governments are committing one crime after another against humanity, as they deliberately turned the eastern Mediterranean into a watery graveyard.

"There is a plan to do so with the aim of deterring migrants," he added.

"It is a policy to send them back to where they came from.

For her part, Natalie Gruber, director of the bridges Foundation for Refugees, said that what is happening is organized crimes carried out by countries, and it is happening from Croatia to Bulgaria.

She also stressed that the name "shadow army" was used for the first time in a journalistic investigation carried out by a group of investigative journalists who spent months to prove what is happening. But the perpetrators are careful to hinder the evidence.

Neither European governments nor Greece do not recognize the existence of the Masked Army until now and consider talking about it as mere undocumented rumors.

The investigation indicates that the masked men are abusing the refugees within the knowledge of the European security services.

The episode showed several pictures and clips documenting horrific violations by members of the shadow army against refugees in the border areas at sea and on land, most notably at the border with Greece.

The investigation also showed the bodies of victims, including children, who were recovered from the sea after being deliberately drowned by masked men under the supervision of Greek security.

For his part, Palestinian refugee Hassan Saadoun testified about the torture he was subjected to by the Greek police, where he was beaten and tortured and robbed of all his belongings, including his passport, before they returned him to the Turkish-Greek border.