Accused mastermind denies he is Greek terror leader

The alleged mastermind behind Greece’s deadliest terrorist group denied all charges today when he entered the witness box in the trial of 19 suspected members of the November 17 gang.

Alexandros Giotopoulos, 59, faces a record 963 charges ranging from murder to robbery. Since his arrest last year he has proclaimed his innocence – even as other suspects finger him as their former leader.

“The charges are fabricated,” Giotopoulos said in the special bunker-like court in Greece’s top maximum-security prison. “They want to convict someone as leader so this case can close.”

November 17 is blamed for 23 murders, armed robberies and scores of bombings since 1975. The group evaded authorities until a botched bombing last year began a string of arrests.

Its victims included British military attaché Brigadier Stephen Saunders, four US officials and two Turkish diplomats.

Scotland Yard anti-terrorist officers had joined the hunt after the brigadier’s assassination as he drove to work in Athens in June 2000.

Giotopoulos said police and security forces in Greece, Britain and the United States were seeking to punish him for his communist-influenced political beliefs and activities against the military dictatorship that ruled Greece from 1967 to 1974.

November 17 was named after the date of a student-led uprising in 1973 which led to the collapse of the dictatorship.

French-born Giotopoulos moved back to Greece from Paris shortly after democracy was restored and lived in Athens under an assumed name from 1975 until his arrest on an Aegean Sea island.

During that time, he claims to have worked as a translator.

“Why are we all accused here? Because we are not part of the official political institutions,” Giotopoulos told the court.

Giotopoulos is among the last of 19 suspected November 17 members to take the stand since the trial began in March. It is expected to last about one more month. His testimony is expected to last at least two days.

Evidence against him includes 26 fingerprints found on documents discovered by police in November 17 hideouts and testimony from other suspects identifying him as the leader of the group.