The man suspected of holding a top position in the November 17 terrorist group yesterday denied ever having met an extreme right-wing publisher who, according to press allegations last week, may have taken money from leading industrialists on the pretext of removing them from the N17 hit-list.

In a statement made available by his lawyer, Alexandros Yotopoulos said he had neither met Grigoris Michalopoulos, nor bought any of the Eleftheri Ora daily’s publisher’s books. Michalopoulos claims that the alleged mastermind of the extreme left-wing group visited him at his newspaper office to ask about his books. Last week, the publisher denied reports that he extorted money from supposed N17 targets to get them off the group’s assassination list. Yotopoulos ironically suggested yesterday that he himself should be charged with extortion.

Meanwhile, Skai radio reported that Greek police yesterday arrested an unidentified Greek woman wanted in Italy for supplying arms to local terrorist groups.