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EU ÏÊs Greek Recapitalisation Scheme For Banks

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'Positive moves' toward Patriarchate

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Gaziantep mayor, delegation at Athens city hall

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Athens police July 24 arrested a second suspected leader of the anti-capitalist November 17 militant group, which has claimed responsibility for 22 assassinations -- including of British, American and Turkish diplomats -- over the course of nearly 30 years. A heightened crackdown by Greek police since late June has netted a total of 12 suspected members, including the group’s alleged founder and ideologue, Alexandros Giotopoulos.

With several top leaders and perhaps more than half of its core members in custody, November 17 will have a very hard time reconstituting itself, especially considering the organization’s tightly-knit, familial structure. Its operational capacity has been so severely compromised that even a near-term reprisal is unlikely.

Though Greece may still experience occasional violence from small-scale gangs of random anarchists, driving a stake through the heart of November 17 will improve the country’s reputation for security and reduce fears of a major terrorist attack at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. The recent police roundup -- which benefited from the support of British and U.S. law enforcement agencies -- also should bolster arguments in favor of international cooperation against localized terrorist organizations.

The break-up of one of Europe’s most notorious terrorist organizations has been swift and impressive, especially when contrasted with Greece’s previous failure to arrest a single member of November 17 since it emerged 27 years ago. Despite its past success in carrying out attacks and avoiding capture, the group is actually believed to be quite small.

The International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism estimates the core of the organization may be no larger than 20 people, and it now appears that it was also very tightly knit, tied together primarily through family connections.

These characteristics, which helped to make the group so elusive, also contributed to its rapid collapse. The break that Greek police were looking for finally came June 29, when a 40-year-old suspected November 17 member was seriously injured during a botched bombing. Evidence on the scene led authorities to several of the group’s safe houses and a weapons cache, and the suspect’s deposition resulted in the arrest of his two brothers and eight others.

From there, the numerous connections within the group among families and friends allowed authorities to track down and arrest other members. Authorities were even able to confiscate the organization’s infamous "signature" weapon, a .45-caliber Colt 1911 used in at least seven assassinations, including the most recent murder of British military attache Stephen Saunders in June 2000.

If authorities are correct in their assessments of the crackdown, November 17 is very unlikely to launch any retaliatory attacks. Greek police say they have confiscated almost all of its operational equipment and weaponry and that the 12 people in custody represent its core group of operatives. Currently, authorities have named only one wanted suspect still outstanding: a 44-year-old beekeeper believed to be one of the group’s main assassins.

The size and structure of the organization also will make reconstitution difficult. Unlike ethnically backed insurgents such as Palestinian militants, the remaining November 17 members do not have an easily accessible pool of potential members to reorganize, and the group’s radical anti-imperialist ideology will play to only a very narrow population. Finally, its isolated and highly secretive nature makes it unlikely to have broader international connections or support.