5 senior police officials removed from posts in Greece in far-right probe

ATHENS, Greece – Five senior police officers in Greece have been replaced after the government ordered an urgent inquiry into alleged links between the police and the far-right Golden Dawn party.

The Public Order Ministry said Monday that the heads of the police's special forces, internal security, organized crime division, firearms and explosives division and a rapid-response motorcycle division had been moved to other posts pending an investigation into weekend reports in the Greek media that police provided the party with assistance in alleged criminal activity.

Golden Dawn won nearly 7 percent of the vote in general elections last year, but is currently the subject of a criminal investigation following the murder last week of an anti-fascist rapper.

The party denies any involvement in the murder or in frequent violent attacks against immigrants.