Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-03-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] U.S. urges 'vigilance' when visiting Greece

[02] Goulekas interview with ANA-MPA

[03] Robber's bullet IDed as fatal during shooting

[01] U.S. urges 'vigilance' when visiting Greece

The information on the website was updated on Thursday and urges Americans to "remain vigilant," exercise caution and avoid areas where demonstrations are taking place in major urban centres, including tourist attractions like Syntagma Square in central Athens, or Aristotelous Square in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki.

In its section on 'Safety and Security', the website noted the U.S. government's concern about a heightened terrorist threat against U.S. citizens and interests abroad and that Greece's long coastline, many islands and open borders with other Schengen Agreement countries increase the chance that "terrorists might try to exploit Greece's borders" to enter and exit anonymously.

It also noted increasing activity by domestic terrorist organisations, such as 'Revolutionary Struggle' and "Sect of Revolutionaries", in the last three years and suggested a link with the now dismantled and neutralised terrorist group November 17.

"Recent actions indicate that the perpetrators are indiscriminate. The risk of ābeing in the wrong place at the wrong timeā in the event of a terrorist action is a concern for residents and visitors," the website stated.

There was also a reference to the wave of violent demonstrations in central areas sparked by the killing of a 15-year-old by a policeman in December 2008.

"When there are demonstrations, visitors should be aware of and avoid places where demonstrators frequently congregate, such as the Polytechnic University area, Exarchia, Omonia, and Syntagma Squares in Athens, and Aristotle Square in Thessaloniki. The Omonia and Exarchia areas of Athens are at particular risk for crime and politically-motivated violence; U.S. Embassy personnel and their families have been urged strongly to avoid these areas between 9 pm and dawn," the site advised, adding that university campuses are "exploited as refuges by anarchists and those involved in crime and Greek police are generally prohibited from entering their premises".

There have been no civilian deaths or injuries as a result of terrorist activities in Greece since the jailing of November 17, which was responsible for 23 deaths over a career spanning roughly quarter of century - though one potentially lethal 50-kilo car bomb failed to explode. The wave of youth violence in December and at other times has similarly not resulted in any deaths or serious injuries among demonstrators or passers-by, though there was extensive vandalism and physical damage to businesses, banks, cars and buildings.

Unlike travel warnings and travel alerts, which are higher-level warnings only issued for countries facing serious problems, the U.S. State Department provides 'Country Specific Information' for every country in the world. This includes practical information, such as the location of the U.S. Embassy and consulates in that country, as well as unusual immigration practices, health conditions, minor political disturbances, unusual currency and entry regulations, crime and security information, and drug penalties.

PASOK: We need public safety policy

Commenting on the U.S. government's travel advice, main opposition PASOK spokesman George Papaconstantinou said that he could not condemn the U.S. State Department for urging U.S. citizens to avoid visiting certain areas of Athens.

"Before we protest or condemn, it would be good if we ensured that we have a policy for public safety. It would have been better if the world had not seen the images that it has been seeing from Athens over the past four months," the spokesman said.

The governmentās failure to ensure this had resulted in these "extremely unpleasant travel instructions, which offend me as a Greek," the spokesman added.

Papaconstantinou referred to Thursday's tragic death of a young woman shop assistant during an armed robbery targeting her workplace, citing this as an example of disintegration in law and order.

"In the country, we have an explosive mixture of heightened crime, simultaneous to the revival of terrorist phenomena, that create a deep sense of insecurity in Greek citizens," he stated.

[02] Goulekas interview with ANA-MPA

[03] Robber's bullet IDed as fatal during shooting

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