Cabbie who carried shooter claims he was threatened

The taxi driver who helped 31-year-old Arber Bako flee from a bar in Piraeus where he injured more than 10 people after opening fire with an AK-47 on Saturday morning told police on Friday that he was forced to carry his passenger at gunpoint.

The 50-year-old cabbie said Bako hailed him down near the bar and pointed his rifle at him as soon as he entered the taxi. The Albanian, who was remanded in custody on Thursday, asked to be taken to a taxi rank near the Supreme Court, where he took another cab.

Authorities are examining whether the first or second cabbie were part of the criminal ring Bako was involved with. Bako asked for the cabbie’s mobile phone number before getting out of his car, police were told.

The taxi driver said he only came forward after the suspect was arrested because he feared for his life. Bako faces charges of attempted murder.