The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 02-07-19

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From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] More arrests of 17 November members

Meanwhile, two men, Vassilis Georgatos and Theodoros Psaradelis suspected of being members of the terrorist organisation 17 November were arrested in Chiliadou and will appear before the Public Prosecutor today.

At the same time, 17 November organisation members Christodoulos and Vassilis Xiros and Dionysis Georgiades will defend themselves on Sunday. They were charged with felony by the Public Prosecutor.

Christodoulos and Vassilis Xiros participated in the launching of rockets, assasinations, bomb attacks and series of armed robberies, while Dionysis Georgiades participated in a bomb attack and robbery between 1998 and 2002. He was also the person who rented the apartment in Pagrati.

On a relative development, Savas Xiros&#8217; former wife questioned the legality of his brothers&#8217; confessions, stating characteristically that injections were used to make them confess.

In the meantime, Alexandros Giotopoulos is still being held and interrogated at the anti-terror department. According to evidence Giotopoulos used to write the announcements of the terrorist organisation , while Police Chief Fotis Nasiakos stated that his fingerprints were identified at the organisation&#8217;s apartment in Patmos street.

Commenting on the latest developments, Prime Minister Costas Simitis commented that there was ample time for the correct processing of the information available, adding that any pressure might lead to mistakes.

On the same issue, government spokesman Christos Protopapas stated that the government wanted all questions to be answered and everyone to understand that terrorism has been uprooted from Greece for good. He also added that what the government was also interested in was to uproot ideologically the concept of terrorism in Greece.

From its side, the New Democracy party expressed its satisfaction over progress of inquiries taking place, adding that it supported the effort of authorities to uproot scourge of terrorism in Greece.

New Democracy MP Dora Bakoyianni stated that the society and the cooperation of the Greek authorities with Scotland Yard contibuted to the latest success of the Greek police.

The Greek Communist party announced that the Greek people should not forget the big problems tormenting it in the name of processes for the 17 November terrorist group, but conceive the issue of 17 November as part of the problems.

The Synaspismos party asked from the authorities to get to the bottom of the problem of terrorism and to punish all those involved in criminal acts.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher described the latest developments as a success of the Greek authorities, adding that the arrest of a senior member of the 17 November terrorist organisation

was an important development, provided it was fully verified.

He also stated that it was very early to decide whether any members of the terrorist organisation who had participated in the assassination of American civilians should be extradited.

(19/7/2002 11:49:00 рм)

[02] Weather forecast

(19/7/2002 11:50:00 рм)

[03] Third Community Support Framework to be examined

Mr Barnier will also meet with ministers Nikos Christodoulakis and Vasso Papandreou, as well as ATHENS 2004 President Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki to examine the status of preparations of big Olympic projects financed by the Community.

The Commissioner described the six months of the Greek Presidency in the European Union as crucial for the continuation of cohesion policies, in view of the EU enlargement. Referring to the Land Registry, he said that a new basis for its operation had been set by Minister Vasso Papandrou.

(19/7/2002 11:52:00 рм)

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