Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English, 98-08-13

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From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cynews.com/>

Thursday, August 13, 1998

Vintzilaios anger spreads to coalition

THE uproar over the recent visit by the head of Greek intelligence services during the 1974 Coup, Vasilis Vintzilaios, grabbed all the headlines yesterday.

Phileleftheros reported that the Presidential Palace's explanation for the decision to allow the visit had failed to satisfy the objectors, who now included government coalition partners Edek.

The announcement made it clear that President Clerides had allowed the former coup man - whose name is on a stop-list - to visit in his capacity as lawyer for a Cypriot family.

Edek called on the president to offer a public apology for his "illegal" actions.

Opposition party Akel said the fact that Clerides had given permission for Vintzilaios to come constituted a scandal of major proportions,_ Phileleftheros_ reported.

Machi carried an "exposé" on what Vintzilaios's role had been during the coup.

Vintzilaios was never chief of the junta secret service, but rather an agent for the service. He had been very active in Cyprus during the seven years of junta rule in Greece because of his intimate knowledge of Cypriot society, Machi sated.

He was a "fanatical pursuer of democratic persons" and especially of Greeks living in Cyprus. He had people working for him in all political parties, the police, army reserve core and at the Presidential Palace, Machi reported.

During the coup itself, Vintzilaios went into overdrive, rounding up and savagely interrogating coup opponents. So aggressive was his activity that coup leaders at one point ordered that he be confined to his office, the paper claimed.

Machi added that Vintzilaios had visited the island more than once since the coup. On the last occasion he left in a hurry after he was recognised by some of his former interrogation victims.

Alithia scooped everyone with an interview with the man himself.

In the interview, Vintzilaios states his visit was a purely professional matter and that he never had intended to provoke anyone.

He said that Akel, who broke the story about his visit, "should perhaps be more careful, because I protected many of their people at the time (of the coup)."

He said he would be happy to stand trial if he was arrested in Cyprus and added that he had worked closely with state security authorities in Cyprus during the coup.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1998

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