Two charged over Greek wildfires

ATHENS, Greece (CNN) -- Greek officials have arrested and charged two individuals in connection with the fires that have scorched southern Greece, razing dozens of villages and killing at least 51 people, Fire Brigade Officer Nikos Tsogas said Sunday.

One of the individuals is a 65-year-old man, who witnesses said they saw torching areas in the southern Peloponnese region near the town of Areopolis, located 190 kilometer (120 miles) southwest of Athens.

The second person was a 77-year-old woman who reportedly started a fire while cooking in her garden in Zaharo, one of the hardest hit areas in the south.

Tsogas said authorities are deeming her behavior criminal neglect.

Meanwhile, officials are also investigating a gas canister explosive device found attached to a cell phone on the outskirts of Athens.

About 30 meters away rags drenched in petrol were found underneath parched brush and twigs, Tsogas said. Witness reports indicate two "suspicious" individuals were seen near the site. Tsogas said authorities were treating the case seriously.

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis declared a nationwide state of emergency Saturday night, mobilizing all resources.

In a nationally televised address, Karamanlis suggested the blazes might have been deliberately set by political extremists ahead of next month's national elections. The fires have placed a damper on campaigning.

"So many fires sparked simultaneously in so many places is no coincidence," Karamanlis said, and vowed to punish those responsible. No one has the right to take human lives and destroy the environment, he added.

He described the situation as a "battle that has to be won," and ordered all resources mobilized to fight the fire.

Many firefighters told CNN they are suspicious of the fire's source, given several witness reports that the blazes cropped up simultaneously along a 20-kilometer (12-mile) front of lush greenery in southern Greece.

Greece's elections are set for September 16. The ruling party has called for a temporary suspension of political campaigning as a sign of respect to those who died in the flames, and flags on government buildings were flying Saturday at half staff. E-mail to a friend

Journalist Anthee Carassava contributed to this report.

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