'Terror leader' held by Greek police

Greek police have detained an elderly man reported to be a leader of Europe’s most elusive terrorist group, on a remote Aegean Sea island.

The man, who has not been named, was snatched as part of a nationwide hunt for members of Greece’s November 17 terrorist group, which has claimed responsibility for 22 killings, including the murder of a British military attache, and dozens of bomb and rocket attacks in the past 27 years.

State-run NET radio said he was captured by anti-terrorist police on the tiny island of Lipsi and flown to Athens by helicopter. His home in the Greek capital was also searched during a series of police raids.

Police sources confirmed the report but law enforcement officials have not made any public comment on the raids that began yesterday and continued today.

The capture of a senior November 17 figure would be a major breakthrough for the Greek police, who had failed to make any arrests since the group first appeared in 1975 with the killing of the CIA station chief in Athens. The group’s victims include four American officials, British brigadier Stephen Saunders, two Turkish diplomats and Greek businessmen and politicians.

November 17, which blends extreme left-wing politics with nationalism, is named after the day of a 1973 student uprising against the military dictatorship that ruled Greece from 1967-74.

The manhunt was launched after an abortive bomb attack on June 29, in which the alleged attacker, 40-year-old Savas Xiros, was seriously injured.

That incident and Xiros’ detention in hospital led police to two Athens apartments used to store November 17 weapons.

Police yesterday identified one of the handguns found as the weapon used to kill seven people, including Brig Saunders, as he drove to his Athens office two years ago.

Two of Xiros’ brothers have been detained for questioning, but no arrests have been made.