Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-03-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] Weather Forecast: Cloud, rain on Tuesday

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates - Ôuesday

[03] 'November 17' terrorist group trial opens under stringent security

[01] Weather Forecast: Cloud, rain on Tuesday

Cloud, rain and storms are forecast in most parts of the country, with scattered showers in central and eastern Macedonia and Thrace. Snow will fall on high ground. Winds variable, moderate to very strong. In the north, temperatures will range from -2C to 11C; on the rest of the mainland from 0C to 14C; and in the islands from 7C to 15C. Temperatures in Athens between 4C and 14C; and in Thessaloniki from 0C to 10C.

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates - Ôuesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.088

Pound sterling 0.690

Danish kroner 7.488

Swedish kroner 9.266

Japanese yen 128.4

Swiss franc 1.473

Norwegian kroner 7.795

Cyprus pound 0.585

Canadian dollar 1.615

Australian dollar 1.779

[03] 'November 17' terrorist group trial opens under stringent security

The long-awaited trial of 19 suspected members of the elusive 'November 17' terrorist group opened Monday at the women's section of the Korydallos prison, near Piraeus, under stringent security measures.

More than 800 people were gathered outside the three designated entrances to the specially-designed trial venue at the women's prison facility, where the suspects are incarcerated, since very early in the morning, while the streets surrounding the facility have been closed off to traffic. Those gathered outside the facility include journalists, among them Athens Union of Journalists (ESIEA) acting president Panos Sombolos and members of the ESIEA presidium, tv crews, photo-journalists, witnesses, lawyers, among them Athens Bar Association president Dimitris Paxinos, and relatives of victims and the accused.

Live television and radio coverage of the trial has been prohibited.

Everyone entering the trial venue will undergo strict security checks, including passing through special machines that detect metal, drugs and explosive substances.

The trial began with a deluge of objections by defence attorneys on procedural issues, who have stated they intend to submit objections on the competency of the court, validity of the pre-trial procedures, the prohibition of the live broadcast of the proceedings, and problems in communication with their clients due to the stringent security measures, mainly a bullet-proof glass enclosure for the defendents, and other matters.

The court proceedings will be presided over by Appeals judges president Michalis Margaritis, 64, who joined the judicial corps in 1972 after receiving a degree from the Athens Law School and post-graduate studies specialising in European Law in London. The other justices sitting on the bench are appeals judges Nikolaos Zairis, 57, and Vassilis Kourkakis, 63.The prosecutor representing the State is 64-year-old appeals judge Christos Lambrou, a veteran to the judicial corps which he joined in 1969.

Prosecution witnesses number more than 350, among them 40 foreign nationals. Defence lawyers number 150, while the accused are charged with an overall total of some 2,000 crimes.

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