‘Sect’ group claim is scrutinized by police
Counterterrorism officers yesterday were examining a seven-page statement, signed by the Sect of Revolutionaries, which claims responsibility for the fatal shooting last week of 37-year-old journalist Sokratis Giolias and warns of further attacks against publishers, journalists and prison staff. «We are at war with your democracy,» the proclamation said. There was also a warning for foreign visitors. «Tourists should know that Greece is no longer a safe haven of capitalism. We aim to transform it into a war zone with revolutionary acts, acts of arson and sabotage, angry demonstrations, bomb blasts and armed attacks.» The proclamation explicitly claims responsibility for the gangland-style killing of Giolias outside his home in the southeastern Athens suburb of Ilioupoli last Monday. It includes a chillingly detailed description of the daily movements of the reporter who, the authors say, had employed two bodyguards on motorcycles. Police yesterday said that the two men who had been guarding Giolias had not been appointed by the force. One was a private guard and the other a police officer who had independently agreed to assist Giolias. Police were yesterday also examining a photograph, included on the CD that contained the proclamation, which depicts the terror group’s weapons arsenal. The photograph, reminiscent of one made public by the now defunct November 17 during its time of operation, shows a range of weapons, including Kalashnikov assault rifles and shotguns, arranged in a symmetrical pattern in front of a logo with the group’s name.
