November 17 gang are mad men, says widow

THE British widow of the last victim of Greece’s deadly November 17 terrorist gang denounced the accused killers today as “mad men” and appealed for harsh sentences.

The testimony of Heather Saunders highlighted a session devoted to exploring the June 2000 assassination of British defence attache Brigadier Stephen Saunders.

"They are not Greeks," she told the special Athens court set up for the trial of the 19 suspected November 17 members. "They are mad men."

She urged for harsh penalties for her husband's alleged killers. Most of the defendants could face up to life in prison if convicted under Greece's new anti-terrorism laws.

"They should be given a hefty sentence and be denied the freedom that they denied my husband," said mother-of-two Mrs Saunders, who wore a long black dress and sobbed at times during the testimony. The brigadier's murder led to Scotland Yard anti-terror experts being sent to Greece and broke Greek public apathy about November 17 following tearful appearances by Mrs Saunders' widow.

In court, she refused to look at the suspected terrorists.

"I had said that I would like to face them and ask them why they killed him," she said. "But now I don't think they are even worth looking at."

Two of the suspected November 17 members are accused of taking part in the killing of Brig Saunders. Two others including the only woman defendant are accused of lesser roles.

A proclamation from the group claimed Brig Saunders, from Wiltshire, was gunned down because of Britain's role in the Nato attacks on Yugoslavia in 1999.