ATHENS Ñ A government crackdown on the November 17 terrorist organization have resulted in 14 arrests, but have left at large five members, some of whom are believed connected to the 1975 assassination of CIA Athens station chief, Richard Welch.
As a result of the recent crackdown, Greek authorities believe they have obtained a complete
picture of the shadowy insurgency group that escaped capture throughout
more than 25 years of operations.
Officials said their picture of November 17 has been obtained from
evidence, testimony and confessions by more than a dozen members of the
group. They said much of the evidence does not contradict previous
assessments that the group was composed of a small number of members,
organized in tight cells.
The crackdown was attributed by pressures from Western nations, the United States in particular, as preparations intensify for the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
November 17, the officials said, is believed to have been composed of no
more than 22 people. They said 14 of them have been arrested in the
crackdown that began a month ago. Two members are believed dead.
In all, officials said, no more than five November 17 members are
believed at large. They include several founding members and explosive
experts of the organizations.
The information on November 17 began with the investigation of Savvas
Xeros. Xeros was injured in an attempted bombing on June 29 and he fingered
other members as well as hideouts, officials said.
Officials identified among the most active members of the group as
Christodoulos Xeros, a 44-year-old arrested on July 15 and who confessed to
29 bombings and attacks. Vassilis Tzortzatos was said to have confessed to
27 crimes.
Several of the detainees are believed to be leaders of November 17. They
include Alexandros Giotopoulos, arrested on July 18 and who has denied
involvement in the group. Nikos Papanastasiou is suspected of being a
founding member of the group.
The leading November 17 fugitive has been identified as Dimitris
Koufontinas, suspected of being operations officer and a liasion with the
leadership. The other wanted members have not been identified but were
linked to the 1975 assassination of CIA station chief Richard Welch.
Key testimony was said to have come from Konstninos Telios. Telios was
said to have described the structure and methods of November 17, which was
said to have been an outgrowth of the Revolutionary People's Struggle, or
the ELA. Telios said key members of the organization wore masks to protect
their identities. He said those suspected of betraying November 17 were
killed.
