Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-08-09

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Defence minister refers to 'oversights, negligence' in Kos affair

[02] Greece wins gold medal in the javelin at European Athletics

[01] Defence minister refers to 'oversights, negligence' in Kos affair

Greece's national defence minister on Thursday cited what he called ?serious oversights, errors and carelessness by personnel? in referring to the mysterious theft of weapons from a military depot on the island of Kos last week.

Minister Yiannos Papantoniou, previously the national economy minister, also cautioned that a military-led investigation to track down the culprits behind the break-in would ?take some time?. Speaking at a press conference, he declined comment, however, on the ongoing course of investigations, indirectly avoiding any remark as to whether a terrorist group could be behind the incident.

The army has repeatedly hinted that the culprits have served or are currently assigned to the camp and depot.

Moreover, Papantoniou, who was vacationing on the popular Dodecanese holiday island when the break-in was announced early Friday morning, said the theft was an ?isolated incident?.

The Kos affair has drawn wide-spread media attention and elicited concern because of similarities to the Sykourio theft, when the notorious ?November 17? terrorist gang raided an army warehouse at the Sykourio camp in central Greece in the late 1980s.

Finally, both the minister and the army chief of staff announced that officers and NCOs on duty during the incident will be release the harshest reprimands envisioned by the military code of justice.

Officials announced over the weekend that 17 handguns, three light machine guns and three infantry assault rifles had been stolen from the camp.

[02] Greece wins gold medal in the javelin at European Athletics Championships

Greece won a gold medal in the women's javelin at the European Athletics Championships in Munich on Thursday.

Mirela Maniani won the gold medal with a throw of 67.47 metres.

After the 3rd day of competition, Greece has three gold and two bronze medals.

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