Thwarted helicopter hijacking linked with Greek militants

ATHENS, Greece – Greece's anti-terrorism squad is investigating the attempted hijacking of a helicopter by a woman armed with a gun that police have linked to a domestic militant anarchist group.

Police say the pilot wrestled with the woman and — although she fired three shots — safely landed in a rural area on Sunday. The woman, the only passenger, escaped on foot.

A police statement Monday said the woman chartered the six-seater for a flight to central Greece, but in the air drew a gun and demanded to be flown toward Athens.

Police said the gun fired Sunday was previously used by convicted Revolutionary Struggle terrorist Nikos Maziotis — who is held in Athens' maximum-security Korydallos prison.

Hijacked helicopters have twice been used to break a jailed bank robber out of Korydallos.