NOVEMBER 17 ARRESTS
Nearly a dozen members of the November 17 terrorist group are in the custody of Greek authorities. Alexandros Giotopoulos [juh-top-oh-lohs], believed to be the group's leader, was arrested on July 17th. Another suspect, Savas Xiros [sah-vahs zir-ohs], was severely wounded when a bomb he was carrying exploded prematurely on June 29th.
His two brothers, Christodoulos [kris-TOH-doo-lohs] and Vassilis [vah-sih-lis], have confessed to numerous terrorist murders. They include the 1988 assassination of American defense attache, Navy Captain William Nordeen; the 1991 bombing death of U.S. Air Force Sergeant Ronald Stewart; and the 2000 shooting death of British defense attache, Brigadier General Stephen Saunders. Also in police custody is Dionissis Georgiakis [dee-oh-nih-sis jor-gee-ah-kis]. He has reportedly confessed to taking part in a November 17 bomb attack and robbery.
November 17 takes its name from the 1973 student uprising in Athens against the then ruling military regime. Democratic government was restored a year later. But November 17 began its campaign of terror against Greeks and non-Greeks alike in 1975, including against Turkey, the U.S., and NATO.
In 1994, November 17 killed the deputy chief of mission of the Turkish embassy in Greece. But as U.S. Ambassador to Greece Thomas Miller said, "Three times as many Greeks have been killed by this group as British and Turks and others." Those victims include newspaper publisher Nikos Momferatos [nee-kohs mom-fer-ah-tohs] and Greek industrialists Constantine Peratikos [per-ah-tee-kohs] and Dimitrios Angelopoulos [an-jel-lo-poo-lohs].
November 17 supported Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's aggression against Kuwait in 1990 and attacked U.S. and coalition personnel in Greece. The group has launched numerous attacks against European interests and foreign firms investing in Greece.
While some of its rhetoric and violence have been directed against the U.S. and West European governments, including Greece, the real target of November 17 terrorism is democracy itself. "To the extent that we can lend our expertise, our background, our experience to help the Greeks in solving this case," said Ambassador Miller, "we're more than happy to do so, and that's exactly what we are doing."