Greek terror crackdown foils major attack on NATO troops

AP ^ | July 22, 2002 | DEREK GATOPOULOS

[Shermy]

ATHENS, Greece - Police captured a 10th suspected member of the deadly November 17 terrorist organization and a newspaper reported that the group had been planning an attack on U.S. and NATO peacekeepers.

The daily Eleftherotypia reported Sunday that alleged gunmen of the ultra-left group already in custody told police they had planned to strike NATO peacekeepers based in Kosovo as they traveled through Greece.

The newspaper said evidence had been found at November 17 hideouts suggesting the urban guerrillas were gathering information on NATO convoys leaving the northern Greek port of Thessaloniki.

November 17 has claimed 22 killings, including U.S. and British military officials, since it first appeared in 1975 with the assassination of CIA station chief Richard Welch. Their last victim was British military attache, Brig. Stephen Saunders, shot dead in Athens two years ago.

After a 27-year manhunt, Greek police scored their first success against the group when they captured a suspect following a botched June 29 bomb attack. The capture triggered a series of raids and arrests.

The latest suspect, captured Sunday in northern Greece, was identified as 36-year-old bus driver Thomas Serifis.

Earlier Sunday, a magistrate arraigned three other alleged November 17 members, including brothers Christodoulos and Vassilis Xiros. Police say they have confessed to nine murders — including Saunders — as well as a string of bomb attacks and armed robberies.

A third brother, Savas Xiros, injured in the botched bombing, remains hospitalized under police guard.

So far, police have accounted for 13 of the group's killings. They are still hunting for the group's aging founders.

The lone alleged ringleader in custody, 58-year-old Alexandros Giotopoulos — unlike his younger associates — has denied all charges leveled against him and refused to give police information, authorities say.

Greece and the United States both have offered rewards totaling dlrs 9 million for information leading to the arrest of November 17 members. Authorities have not said whether any reward money has been given out.

Police believe the guerrilla group has a few dozen members and has recently attempted to raise money and attract recruits for new attacks.

Lefteris Ekonomou, a police spokesman, said November 17 has been tied to the robbery of dlrs 365,000 from a security van in April.

The lawyer of the youngest suspect detained so far, 26-year-old Dionissis Georgiadis, on Sunday claimed his client had been tricked into joining the group.

"As soon as he found out it was November 17, he wanted out," lawyer Alexis Karamanolis said. "But they told him that anyone who opens his mouth is dead."

[Shermy]

Greeks stunned at 'average people' terrorist suspects

"ATHENS, Greece - Since police began hauling in suspected members of the November 17 terror group, Greeks have been stunned by the suspects' seemingly ordinary lives and jobs.

One was an electrician. One was a retired printer, another a beekeeper. .....

________

Greek Priest Says Sons Must Pay

"ATHENS, Greece (AP) - The Greek Orthodox priest whose three sons were alleged executioners for the feared November 17 terrorist group said Saturday his children had turned away from God and must pay for their crimes. ...

[Shermy]

Looks like they're being rounded up pretty fast.

[Paleo Conservative]

Apparently the International Olympic Committee is concerned that the Olympic venues won't be completed in time for the 2004 Olympics and afraid of terrorism during the games similar to the ones held in Munich in 1972.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

What ideology do these terrorists claim?

[Shermy]

Trotskyite, they say, probably jumbled pet grievances and the like.

[xm177e2]

Greece is cracking down on terrorists???

Be honest, this article is really from The Onion, isn't it?

[a_Turk]

Here are some old data. Note the Greek intelligence officer holding hands with master terrorist Abdullah Ocalan who was apprehended in Kenya in a joint effort of Turkish, US and Israeli intelligence agencies.

The link between his Greek passport and N17 are also under investigation. The passport being Southern Cypriot Greek, brings up even more questions.

Also, as it turns out, the head of the DHKP-C Marxist terror organization which targets Turks at home and abroad worked with N17 and spends time regularly in Athens..

Serious house cleaning in a terrorist hotbed EU country? Sure hope it bears real fruit.

Greek Spy Agency Tied to Terror Group - By Bill Gertz - The Washington Times, Tuesday, September 10, 1996
U.S. intelligence has uncovered evidence linking the Greek government to covert training for an international terrorist group that until recently operated on a Greek island, according to CIA sources.

Fact is that the government of Grece is a backer of Terrorism.

The PKK carries out its activities in Greece through two ERNK (Kurdish acronym of the PKK’s propaganda wing, “National Liberation Front of Kurdistan”) offices, two “Kurdistan Committees”, one “Kurdistan Cultural Center” and a “Kurdish Red Crescent Office”, which are all subsidiaries of this terrorist organization. Through these so-called offices, committees and centers the PKK has established in Greece a network which serves its logistical and operational needs as well as its propaganda in its terrorist campaign against Turkey.


Greek intelligence officer Kalenderidis hand in hand with the head of the PKK, Abdullah Öcalan, in Rome. To the right is the Vice Chairman of the Greek Parliament Mr. Sgouridis.

The Greek Cypriots even gave the leader of the terror organization his own passport!:

Ocalan's Greek Cypriot Passport

[Voronin]

VRN

[pythagorean]

Now that the N17 terrorist group is destroyed and detailed info about its structure is available, it is obvious that the group never had any links with Greek government circles. Previous allegations by anti-Greek propagandists like Thomas Niles are debunked. The motives of such people for making fraudulent allegations should be probed.
As for Turkey, its problem is neither Ocalan nor some obscure far left terrorist organization. Problem #1 is the country's identity. If it wants to enter the EU, then oppressing the Kurdish minority, occupying northern Cyprus and slandering Greece are non-starters. If it wants to stay out, then it will gradually be sucked up by the islamic world and there is little that uncle Sam can do to reverse that. Problem #2 is the economy, currently in a dismal state for many reasons, including the less than friendly relations between Turkey and most of its neighbors as well as the wasting of resources by the self-serving ruling military establishment.

[a_Turk]

Now that the N17 terrorist group is destroyed and detailed info about its structure is available

Whoa! Hold your horses. Yours is wishful thinking:

Authorities have still not accounted for nine of the group's killings, including those of the two Turkish diplomats. Nassiakos said police were searching for another key suspect, 44-year-old beekeeper Dimitris Koufodinas, and ``some other members.''

it is obvious that the group never had any links with Greek government circles. Previous allegations by anti-Greek propagandists like Thomas Niles are debunked. The motives of such people for making fraudulent allegations should be probed.

If you say so.. I'll leave the "probing" to you /sarc

The rest of your message is total BS, and beyond the scope of this thread. The Greek passport and extreme hospitality given by Greek government figures to an internationally recognized terrorist are posted a few comments above this one..

[witnesstothefall]

It's been severals days now since the initial arrests. I've still not seen a single mention of extraditing these terrorists stateside or to Gitmo. What gives?

[Shermy]

I don't think that they fall into the Gitmo catagory. Anyway, I think the Greeks will make a big to-do about prosecuting them to create a "safe" impression before the Olympics.

[pythagorean]

More identifications and arrests are reported daily. In any case, the basic facts are known. N17 is over as an organization. It was a mixture of extreme left militarism and common crime.

As for your comment:

"The rest of your message is total BS, and beyond the scope of this thread"

I would say that the statement better describes your rantings about Ocalan & Greece. Ocalan was clearly beyond the scope of the thread, but you included him in a pathetic attempt to slander Greece. Besides, although Ocalan could arguably be described as a terrorist, the statement that he was an "internationally recognized terrorist" is inaccurate and misleading. The EU, notably, did not officially brand Ocalan a terrorist. The Ocalan issue serves Turkish ultranationalists to divert attention from the very real issue of the Kurdish minority - and to blame Greece as an added "benefit". Serious Turkish politicians, though, recognize that the real problems are, as I said, the national identity and the economy and are not making meaningless noise concerning Ocalan and Greece.

[a_Turk]

meaningless noise

A picture is worth a thousand words..

[1rudeboy]

Greece is cracking down on terrorists???

Don't be so harsh, after all, we know terrorism was not discovered until last Sept. 11th.

[eleni121]

As for Turkey, its problem is neither Ocalan nor some obscure far left terrorist organization

Very true. Turkey needs to reckon with not only its mafia state corruption but its absolutely pathetic denial of genocides against non Turkish minorities. When the reckoning comes, it will not be a pretty sight for Turks, but will go along way toward justice finally rendered.

[eleni121]

It's sad that Turks - victims of their own state propaganda machine - cannot deal with the inhuman long term terrorism and genocide that they have inflicted on minorities in Asia Minor. Turk's denial of historical reality proves this once again.

[eleni121]

Quit the BS Turk! The whole Turkish state apparatus is terrorism, INC.

[Aric2000]

Yo, elinil, get back in your hole, you are clueless as usual.

Nothing new there though, the Turks wouldbe much better off out of the Socialist pantywaist EU, and the fact that Greece harbored terrorists is not anything new. A-turk posts facts and you get all defensive.

Prove yur allegations elinil, because you can't!! GET BACK IN YOUR HOLE!!

[eleni121]

Aric2000 - Turkey is more than just a tour of duty and time off visiting the sites (mostly non Turkish) and going to the belly dancers and eating baklava and doner.

Ignorance of Turkish history is no excuse for the rubbish you post.