Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-03-03

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Illegal immigrants clash with police in Patras port

[02] Arson attack on train

[03] ASE opening: Slump

[01] Illegal immigrants clash with police in Patras port

The illegal immigrant was injured while trying to board the truck, and immediately afterwards tens of illegal immigrants flocked to the site and started throwing stones at the truck.

The illegal immigrants also threw stones at police who arrived on the scene, and police used tear gas to disperse them.

A passer-by and two police officers were injured in the violence, while several cars were also damaged.

[02] Arson attack on train

Police sources said that the group of masked troublemakers entered the Kifissia-bound train at the Patissia station, and according to passengers' accounts were making trouble along the way, but when the train reached the terminal in Kifissia they took out containers containing gasoline from the bags they were carrying and started throwing the flammable liquid throughout the train wagons.

When train stopped the troublemakers warned the 7-8 other passengers on board to disembarked and distance themselves from the train.

The train driver, who was unaware of what was happening, entered the wagon and told the troublemakers to calm down, but they immobilized him and made him leave the train, locking d him up with the woman station master in the station master's cubicle, after which they set fire to the wagons with propane canisters.

The train was engulfed in flames, resulting in the total destruction of six wagons and extensive damage to three other wagons.

The perpetrators fled the scene and disappeared, possibly with cars waiting for them outside the terminal and driven by accomplices.

The fire was quickly extinguished by 30 firemen who rushed to the scene with 10 fire engines.

Security police were investigating the incident.

[03] ASE opening: Slump

Individual sector indices were moving downward across the board, with the heaviest losses in Banks, down 4.28 percent; Health, down 3.56 percent; Food & Beverage, down 3.39 percent; Raw Materials, down 3.05 percent; and Technology, down 2.82 percent.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was down 3.06 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was down 2.37 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was down 0.82 percent.

Of the stocks moved, 8 were up, 89 were down, and 14 were unchanged.

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