Greece: No list of November 17 suspects
Government sources have denied that there is any truth in a report by a British newspaper on Sunday that the police were close to naming suspects in their investigation into the November 17 terrorist organization. The Observer’s report said that A well-known cultural figure is thought to be among the suspects, as are former holders of office under the ruling PASOK party. Officials told Kathimerini on Monday that the the report was part of a series of rumors that have been doing the rounds of the foreign news media in recent years. The same sources said that the aim of The Observer’s sources (described by the paper as sources who have been working closely with British, American and Greek intelligence) might be trying to exert pressure on the Greek government as it is well-known that Washington would like to see Greece show some progress in the war on domestic terrorism. The government sources stressed that the judicial system in Greece was different to those of Britain and the United States and that it would be respected under all circumstances. Although Greek officials have leaked to Greek papers the possibility of headway being made in the November 17 investigation, they bristle at any similar comment from abroad. Conjecture that the PASOK party may have sheltered November 17 suspects has been voiced in the past by former CIA director Richard Woolsey and a former US Embassy employee in Athens, E. Wayne Merry. The claims have been vehemently denied by Greek officials.
