Greek terror crackdown foiled major attack - report
Greece’s crackdown on the November 17 terrorists foiled a major attack on Nato peacekeepers, it was claimed as police said a tenth suspected member of the group had been arrested.
The Eleftherotypia newspaper said alleged November 17 gunmen already in custody told officers they had planned to attack peacekeepers based in Kosovo as they travelled through Greece.
The newspaper said evidence had been found at November 17 hide-outs suggesting the ultra left-wing guerrillas were gathering information on Nato convoys leaving the northern Greek port of Thessaloniki.
Meanwhile, one suspected member of the group was yesterday charged with helping murder British military attache Brigadier Stephen Saunders, who was shot dead in Athens two years ago.
Estate agent Iraklis Costaris was also charged with taking part in three other killings, including that of a US Air Force sergeant.
Brigadier Saunders was shot four times in his car by drive-by killers on June 8, 2000, while on his way to work at the UK embassy in Athens.
November 17 has claimed 22 killings since it first appeared in 1975 with the assassination of CIA station chief Richard Welch.
After a 27 year manhunt, Greek police scored their first success against the group when they captured a suspect following a botched bomb attack on June 29. The capture triggered a series of raids and arrests.
The latest suspect, captured yesterday in northern Greece, was identified as 36-year-old bus driver Thomas Serifis.
Earlier yesterday, a magistrate arraigned three other alleged November 17 members, including brothers Christodoulos and Vassilis Xiros. Police said they have confessed to nine murders - including Brigadier Saunders - as well as a string of bomb attacks and armed robberies.
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 against him and refused to give police information, authorities said.
Police believe the guerrilla group has a few dozen members and has recently attempted to raise money and attract recruits for new attacks.
The lawyer of the youngest suspect detained so far, 26-year-old Dionissis Georgiadis, yesterday 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.’’
