By Magda Panoutsopoulou
ATHENS
Convicted Greek terrorist Christodoulos Xiros returned to jail Monday after police thwarted his alleged plans to free his group members from a maximum security prison.
Xiros was sent to Korydallos prison after appearing before an examining magistrate.
Xiros was recaptured Saturday while riding his bicycle near the house he had rented in the southern Attica area of Anavyssos.
Despite, Xiros was armed, police said he made no attempt to resist. However, to evade arrest he had reportedly dyed his hair blonde.
Public Order and Citizen Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias and Head of Police Dimitris Tsaknakis said Sunday that Xiros had planned to attack Korydallos prison in the coming days.
Anti-terrorism force officers believe that during the time Xiros was a fugitive, he was gathering artillery for the planned attack to free jailed members of his guerrilla group from the Korydallos Prison before they were transferred to a new maximum-security detention facility in Domokos in central Greece.
Heavy military hardware and weaponry was reportedly also found at Xiros’ hideout. Police allegedly discovered at least half a dozen Kalashnikovs, one of which was said to have a laser scope and a large quantity of explosives and fuses. A fake identity card was also found with the name "Eleni Melani."
- Refusal to testify
Xiros refused to testify in front of the examining magistrate Monday, arguing that the statement he read to the public prosecutor Sunday still applied.
In his Sunday statement, Xiros referred to the Troika, the European Commission, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
"Our country is under foreign occupation of the Troika and Merkel, and I consider it my obligation to resist. Those mechanisms supporting the occupation forces and their local collaborators have no authority to ask me why. Instead, as part of the mechanism, you are the ones who should apologize to the people and history," he said.
Xiros is a wanted fugitive and a convicted terrorist; he was serving multiple life sentences for murder and membership in the terrorist group called "November 17."
He was granted a furlough on Jan. 1, 2014. He had then presented himself on a daily basis to the police in Halkidiki area in Northern Greece till Jan. 6, 2014 when he went missing.
A nationwide manhunt was then announced. He received multiple life sentences for his involvement in Nov. 17 and was found guilty of taking part in 33 of the group's attacks, including six murders.
In addition to serving time for his previous sentence for his involvement in the alleged terrorist group, he will also be held for his connection with the Anavyssos case.
- November 17 group
The November 17 group was active in Greece between 1975 and 2002.
Between 1991 and 1994, they participated in terrorist attacks against diplomats of the Turkish Embassy in Athens.
Turkish Press Attache Çetin Görgü and Counselor of the Turkish Embassy in Athens, Omer Haluk Sipahioglu were killed. Ambassador Deniz Bolukbasi, Nilgun Kececi, wife of Turkish vice-consul, and driver Adil Yıldırım were also wounded in attacks carried out allegedly by the group.
The group’s actions included assassinations, bombings, kidnappings, and a significant number of robberies.
Their activity stopped in 2002, when Savas Xiros, brother of Christodoulos Xiros, was arrested after suffering wounds during a premature blast of an improvised explosive device placed at the counters of a ferry company in Piraeus.
www.aa.com.tr/en
