The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 10-02-02

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From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Terrorist Suspect Testifies Tomorrow

The 21-year-old male who was arrested for his alleged involvement in the "Conspiracy of Cells of Fire" terrorist group was given until Wednesday to testify. Police said his fingerprints had been found on a bag and a brochure at a hideout in Halandri. He was arrested Monday evening outside his house, with the arrest warrant against him pending since 13 January.

The young man was also arrested on 5 January 2009 and sentenced to six months in jail. His arrest last year had followed a terrorist hit against policemen outside the building housing the Culture Ministry.

Source: NET 105.8 News item: 32769

[02] UN Secretary-General Leaves Cyprus

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon departed Tuesday morning from Cyprus, following his talks with the Cypriot President, Demetris Christofias, and the Turkish-Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.

At the reception held Monday, Ban Ki-moon said he did not visit Cyprus to impose anything on the two sides. He also stressed that that the leaders of the two communities are leading the talks.

Source: ANA/MPA News item: 32764

[03] Agricultural Minister Meets Farmers

Agricultural Minister Katerina Batzeli will hold talks Tuesday with protesting farmers from central and northern Greece. Batzeli reiterated Monday that the country cannot afford immediate aid to the farmers, who decided to escalate their demonstrations.

The Athens-Thessaloniki highway is still closed at the interchanges of Nikea and Microthives, while traffic in the road blocks of Tyrnavos and Elassona has returned back to normal.

In northern Greece, the interchange of Chrysoupoli remains closed, while traffic runs undisrupted in the interchanges of Triglia, Malgara and Chalkidona.

Source: NET 105.8, ANA/MPA News item: 32758

[04] Spanish Judge into Gitmo Torture Claims

Spain's top investigating judge Baltasar Garzon is to probe suspected torture and ill-treatment of inmates at the US prison of Guantanamo Bay, a judical source said Saturday. The judge will be acting on complaints lodged by a number of associations, focussing on one prisoner, Ahmed Abderraman Hamed, who has Spanish nationality, the source added, confirming a report published in daily El Pais.

Three other detainees, Moroccan Lahcen Ikasrrien, Palestinian Jamiel Abdulatif al-Banna and Libyan Omar Deghayes would also be concerned as they had links with Spain.

In 2005 Spain declared itself competent to investigate any crime committed abroad, but after diplomatic problems the scope of the inquiries was reduced in 2009.

Spanish courts can now deal only with cases that have a clear link with Spain, or cases that are not being investigated in countries where the offences are alleged to have been committed.

El Pais said Washington had not replied to a request made seven months ago from Madrid as to whether it was investigating the allegations now being taken up by Garzon, who is best-known internationally for his pursuit of Latin American dictators.

Source: AFP News item: 32676

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