N17 trial focus on bank loot
The prosecution pressed the alleged members of November 17 to reveal the whereabouts of the 320,000-euro loot from an Athens bank robbery the extreme left-wing terrorist group is suspected of having mounted five years ago, as the N17 trial resumed yesterday following an Easter recess. «Can you tell us in whose pockets the 109 million drachmas (320,000 euros) from the bank robbery ended up?» prosecutor Christos Lambrou asked Dimitris Koufodinas, N17’s alleged chief hit man. But the 45-year-old beekeeper, who has admitted «political responsibility» for the group’s acts, said N17 never claimed any responsibility for bank heists. The court was also to discuss another four Athens and Piraeus armed robberies. But only two of the 17 prosecution witnesses turned up, forcing presiding judge Michalis Margaritis to impose a 100-euro fine on each absent witness and order police to forcibly bring them to court today. On Monday, the court is due to hear testimonies on the June 2000 assassination of British military attache Brigadier Stephen Saunders – the group’s last victim.
