ATHENS Ñ The United States has played down the prospect that the
November 17 insurgency group was linked to Greece's ruling political party.
Officials said the State Department does not want the issue to detract
from Greece's drive to dismantle November 17. They said Washington has been
pleased with the response by Greek authorities to the leads that resulted in
the arrest of 15 suspected insurgents.
The U.S. effort comes as Western intelligence sources and diplomats have
reported on concern within the government of Prime Minister Costas Simitis
on the prospect that detained November 17 insurgents could reveal links with
the Pasok movement. Pasok is headed by Simitis and is the largest socialist
party in Greece.
Last month, a former U.S. ambassador to Greece raised the prospect that
November 17 was formed by elements within a wing of Pasok. The former
diplomat asserted that November 17 was formed in the mid-1970s by members of
Pak, a student organization that opposed the Greek military junta in the
late 1960s and a decade later became Pasok.
But current U.S. ambassador to Athens Thomas Miller said Washington has
no evidence
that links November 17 and Pasok. He said speculation about such a link must
not overshadow the current efforts to dismantle the insurgency group, which
has claimed responsibility for the killing of three U.S. officials.
"I have seen no evidence supporting these assessments," Miller said.
"When I have no evidence I shall not submit my personal views on the issue.
Right now, this is of secondary importance."
Miller, who returned from Washington for consultations, praised the
Greek investigation and detention of November 17 members. He said the U.S.
embassy and the State Department are in constant contact with Greek Public
Order Minister Mihalis Chrysohoidis, who is heading the investigation.
"We are helping and we shall continue to do this, but the Greek
government is the one deserving to be credited with the success," Miller
said. "Serious work has been done in past years. There is a very efficient
public order minister. There is determination."
Officials said the Bush administration has been particularly pleased
with Greek support for the crackdown against November 17. They said
Washington had been dismayed by how left-wing Greek media and politicians
intimidated prosecutors and law enforcement officials from pursuing previous
leads against the insurgency group.
The United States has linked the investigation of November 17 to its
participation in the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004. Miller said the two
countries are engaged in excellent security cooperation, which includes
preparations for the games.
Greek authorities believe they have captured two leading November 17
insurgents. They are Alexandros Giotopoulos and Pavlos Serifis. Officials
said Serifis is believed to be directly linked to November 17 hit squads.
Serifis has been accused of being involved in the November 17
assassination of CIA station chief in Athens Richard Welch in 1975. November
17 had blamed the CIA for helping the military junta in Greece maintain
power from 1967 to 1974.
"He is an old member of the group," police spokesman Lefteris Economou
told a news conference. "He repeatedly received money from the November 17
fund and was aware of the group's criminal acts."
