Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-07-04

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From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.

CONTENTS

[01] POLICE RAIDED A "17 NOVEMBER" TERRORIST ORGANIZATION HIDEOUT

[02] NEW EVIDENCE IN THE "17 NOVEMBER" INVESTIGATION

[03] HUNDREDS OF SWIMMERS DROWN IN THE SEA EVERY YEAR

[04] TWO IN FIVE GREEKS WILL NOT GO ON VACATIONS

[05] THE AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER IS IN ATHENS

[06] SIGNIFICANT GAINS IN THE ASE

[07] STATEMENTS BY PROTOPAPAS ON THE TERRORISM INVESTIGATION

[08] KARAMANLIS WANTS TANGIBLE RESULTS IN THE INVESTIGATION ON TERRORISM

[09] SAVVAS XIROS WAS INVOLVED IN THE ASSASSINATION OF GREEK SHIP-OWNER

[10] AMBASSADOR MILLER CONGRATULATED THE GREEK PUBLIC ORDER MINISTER

[11] SECURITY AGENCIES HAD RECEIVED A CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENT BEFORE

[01] POLICE RAIDED A "17 NOVEMBER" TERRORIST ORGANIZATION HIDEOUT

A hideout of the terrorist organization 17 November was raided by police in downtown Athens. The hideout was in a basement apartment in an area called Kato Patisia.

The large-scale police operation was launched in cooperation with the anti-terrorist agency. It began in early afternoon and it is still underway. According to information, the findings appear to be very significant and the search continues.

Based on mass media reports, the anti-terrorist agency officers discovered anti-tank rockets stolen from the army camp in Sikourion Larisa, central Greece, a large number of guns, explosives, disguise material and printed material.

The police operation continues, the area has been cordoned off and three ambulances have arrived for precautionary reasons. No arrests have been reported.

Earlier, police had evacuated the apartment building at 84 Patmos Street and explosives specialists with trained dogs searched the apartment to establish if it was booby-trapped.

[02] NEW EVIDENCE IN THE "17 NOVEMBER" INVESTIGATION

The typewriter used to write the 17 November leaflets in the past, was found after a coordinated operation launched by the anti-terrorist agency in a remote house in the region of Sounio, outside Athens. According to information broadcast by the state-run NET television station, two 45calibre pistols used by the terrorist organization were also discovered.

It was also established that the fingerprints, found in a car used by 17 November for the assassination of ship-owner Kostas Peratikos in Piraeus in 1997, belonged to Savvas Xiros, who was injured when a time bomb exploded in his hands in the Port of Piraeus last Saturday evening.

Meanwhile, three individuals are being questioned by anti-terrorist officers and are expected to be arrested as there is incriminating evidence against them. Another individual was taken in for questioning this afternoon and it is believed that he is associated with the villa in Sounio where the typewriter was found.

[03] HUNDREDS OF SWIMMERS DROWN IN THE SEA EVERY YEAR

Children, teenagers and the elderly are most likely to drown while swimming, according to a report on the Athens newspaper To VIMA which mentions that each year, an average of 300 people drown in the sea.

The Greek National Statistics Agency has recorded a total of 5.704 unintentional drownings in the past 20 years (1980-1999) which corresponds to an average of 300 drownings a year.

Based on the available figures, each year drown about 20 children under the age of 14 and 15 teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19. The majority of the drownings take place at sea, while the incidents recorded in swimming pools are fewer.

[04] TWO IN FIVE GREEKS WILL NOT GO ON VACATIONS

Two in five Greeks will not go on summer vacations because of financial problems. According to figures provided by the Consumers Institute, the cost of summer vacations for a four-member family is unbearable estimated at 2.050 Euro for 15 days.

For this reason, 39.2% of the Greeks will stay home in their vacation time, while the duration of vacations for the Greeks has been limited considerably due to the serious financial problems they face.

[05] THE AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER IS IN ATHENS

Australian Prime Minister John Howard is on a four-day visit to Greece. He visited the Olympic Games Organizing Committee headquarters and met with Athens 2004 Organizing Committee President Ms. Yianna Angelopoulou to be briefed on the course of the Olympic preparations.

Mr. Howard is also scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Kostas Simitis to discuss bilateral issues, Australia's relations with the European Union as well as issues concerning the Greeks living in Australia.

The Australian Prime Minister will also visit the cities of Chania and Iraklion in the island of Crete, in south Aegean to honor the Australians who were killed there during WWII.

[06] SIGNIFICANT GAINS IN THE ASE

Significant gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +1.35% at 2.193,72 points, while the volume of transactions was at 63 million Euro or 21.5 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, the overwhelming majority of 234 had gains and 77 recorded losses, while the value of 62 stocks remained unchanged.

[07] STATEMENTS BY PROTOPAPAS ON THE TERRORISM INVESTIGATION

No arrests have been made based on the interpretation of the term which is included in the state legislation. There is an investigation underway but no arrests have been made, stated Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas responding to questions by reporters.

He said that authorities work with determination and the recent developments are the result of systematic work, while he pointed out that investigation continues toward every direction.

When asked to comment on the stance adopted by the political parties, he said that the government wants from the political parties, the people and the mass media to display a sense of responsibility, stressing that it will take time for the efforts against terrorism to be completed.

[08] KARAMANLIS WANTS TANGIBLE RESULTS IN THE INVESTIGATION ON TERRORISM

Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis called for tangible results in the investigation on terrorism, in a statement issued on the occasion of the recent developments.

Mr. Karamanlis stated that the accidental event last Saturday gave to police the opportunity they expected for years. This opportunity cannot and should not be missed, stated Mr. Karamanlis. He said that this is the time to display responsibility and have tangible results. The evidence found should be evaluated in order to lead to the arrest and punishment of those who either planned or executed heinous crimes for the past 27 years.

[09] SAVVAS XIROS WAS INVOLVED IN THE ASSASSINATION OF GREEK SHIP-OWNER KOSTAS PERATIKOS

The fingerprints found in a car that was used by 17 November terrorists in the assassination of ship owner Kostas Peratikos in Piraeus in 1997 belong to Savvas Xiros. The above were stated by Greek Police Chief Fotis Nasiakos.

Mr. Nasiakos referred to yesterday's police raid in a 17 November hideout in downtown Athens in which police found 17N leaflets, the terrorist organization banner, an organization seal, a computer, guns and explosives. According to the Greek Police Chief, the findings will be examined carefully and are expected to be the source of valuable information. The investigation is still underway and the Greek Police will make further statements as soon as new evidence is collected.

Mr. Nasiakos also underlined the significance of the contribution made in the investigation by the people, stressing that the Greek police has received a large number of telephone calls by people who recognized Xiros from the pictures that were given to publicity.

[10] AMBASSADOR MILLER CONGRATULATED THE GREEK PUBLIC ORDER MINISTER

US ambassador to Athens Thomas Miller congratulated Greek Minister of Public Order Michalis Chrisochoidis on the course of the investigation on terrorism.

In statements he made in the US embassy building on the occasion of the US Day of Independence, Mr. Miller pointed out that the United States help the Greek authorities in the investigation they conduct. He also added that he is aware of the outcome of the investigation but it is up to the Greek authorities to decide when they will release detailed statements to the press.

[11] SECURITY AGENCIES HAD RECEIVED A CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENT BEFORE SATURDAY'S EXPLOSION

A confidential military document characterized as urgent, which referred to security issues in case of a terrorist attack, had been sent in every security agency in the country just before last Saturday's explosion in the Port of Piraeus. Savvas Xiros was injured in that explosion leading the Greek police to the terrorist organization 17 November.

According to the Athens radio station Flash, the document was sent to airports, sea ports, army camps and police stations in the Greek islands and its topic was security measures for the protection of public works, installations and material.

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