Animal rights activists claim release of 50,000 minks in northern Greece

ATHENS, Greece – ATHENS, Greece (AP) — An international animal rights activist group has claimed responsibility for releasing more than 50,000 minks from two fur farms in northern Greece.

In an online statement, the Animal Liberation Front says it carried out the attacks last week near the towns of Kastoria and Siatista, in the heart of Greece's fur industry.

Thursday's statement said the break-ins were meant to hit the industry "and especially the disgusting 'fur towns' of Siatista and Kastoria, plagued with hundreds of fur stores."

Greece's National Fur Breeders' Association said most of the animals released into the local ecosystem were likely to die in the heat. It said the cost to the farm owners could exceed €1 million ($1.28 million).