Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-07-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] Terrorism is being vanquished by democracy and the law, PM stresses

[02] N17 member admits participation in 27 crimes, including Bakoyiannis'

[01] Terrorism is being vanquished by democracy and the law, PM stresses

Each heinous act of terrorism carried out in Greece over the past 27 years was an attack on democracy, and it was democracy that was now vanquishing terrorism through the agency of the law, Prime Minister Costas Simitis stressed on Friday.

The prime minister also underlined that the suspected terrorists would receive a fair trial, saying that democracy's victory over terrorism would be meaningless if it were accompanied by a loss of democratic rights and freedoms.

''Democracy in Greece, now stronger than ever before, gives its answer to the violent challenge without resorting to violence and repression,'' he said.

Simitis was speaking after a one-hour meeting with Public Order Minister Michalis Chrysohoidis, who briefed him on the latest developments in the November 17 case.

The prime minister also stressed that the series of crimes that had so severely undermined Greece's image in the years that followed the restoration of democracy were totally opposed by the Greek people, who condemned violence and the overturning of the rule of law.

Now it was time for the guilty to answer for their actions, Simitis added.

Simitis then referred to the innocent victims of the terrorist group and their families, expressing his support for them at this time when painful memories were being reawakened by the revelations.

[02] N17 member admits participation in 27 crimes, including Bakoyiannis' murder

A police spokesman on Friday announced a list of crimes attributed to three men charged with offences linked to the November 17 terrorist group, including the murder of New Democracy party Deputy Pavlos Bakoyiannis.

Vassilios Tzortzatos, 47, is accused of 27 criminal and punishable acts perpetrated by the November 17 group, including murders he participated in and confessed to and one of them is that of Bakoyiannis in the fashionable Athens district of Kolonaki in September 1989.

Police spokesman Lefteris Economou said Tzortzatos, Alexandros Yiotopoulos, 58, reportedly a mastermind of the group, and Theologos Psaradelis, 59, were brought before a public prosecutor.

According to the police's announcement, Yiotopoulos denied charges but evidence collected during the preliminary investigation revealed that he was a leading and guiding member of the terrorist group.

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