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Europe
N17 leader rubbishes decision
2003-12-16
The man convicted last week of running the November 17 terrorist group that killed 23 people between 1975 and 2000, Alexandros Yotopoulos, claimed to have been an innocent victim of circumstances during a live radio interview on Saturday.
"Yeah. I wuz just standin' there, see? Mindin' my own bidnid. An' these here guyz, they comes up an'..."
“It was not a fair trial, not even a trial but rather a tasteless piece of theater,” the 59-year-old translator told SKAI radio. “The part of the decision that concerns me was dictated by the Americans.”
"They had this guy, see, he wuz standin' in the back o' the room, an' he wuz tellin' all those court guyz what to do..."
On Monday, the three-judge appeals court trying 19 N17 suspects found Yotopoulos guilty of instigating all but three of the group’s illegal acts between 1983 and 2002. Four defendants were acquitted. Sentencing is expected today or tomorrow. For Yotopoulos, the prosecution has asked for a sentence of 21 life terms plus 2,442 years, and a 58,500-euro fine. “When Savvas Xeros’s bomb went off, [the authorities] had already decided I was the leader,” he said. “Ten years before, it would have been [leftist author Pericles] Korovesis or someone else.” Asked what he expected during sentencing, Yotopoulos turned to Latin: “Sic transit gloria mundi.”
That's Latin for "Tuesday will be better."
Posted by:Fred Pruitt

#6  Afkarista poli feelos, Aris. It's been about 20 years since I last spoke greek. As you can tell;-)
Posted by: Anonymous   2003-12-16 10:10:37 PM  

#5  Targeted Greek citizens of wealth or prominence in politics, employees of the British Council, and Americans associated with the Embassy, JUSMAGG or the military base. As an American serviceperson assigned to Hellenikon from 1983-85, I was very aware of the fact that I could be on their "to-do" list. And the suspicion that the N-17 gang was politically connected, and that the Greek police seemed to be rather hapless in their pursuit didn't make us feel much safer, either.
Posted by: Sgt. Mom   2003-12-16 12:18:45 PM  

#4  "Not to diminish the loss of life but 23 people in 25 years? Can they really claim to be a terrorists group?"

They went for targeted assasinations, rather than mass murders. But at least one person they killed (Pavlos Bakoyannis) was a prominent enough Member of the Parliament that he might have one day become Prime Minister. Nobody will ever know for certain how big an influence this group may have already had on the course of Greek politics.

Auday grimeesoo Alexandros, SKITA

You probably mean "Adeh gamisou, Alexandre, SKATA!" which means "Fuck you, Alexandros, you sh!t"

I share and applaud the sentiment.
Posted by: Aris Katsaris   2003-12-16 11:59:09 AM  

#3  Not to diminish the loss of life but 23 people in 25 years? Can they really claim to be a terrorists group? They probably think more of themselves than Interpol does. I hope he becomes a Turkish bride in prison. He'll find out. Auday grimeesoo Alexandros, SKITA! (my rusty attampt at greek)
Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter)   2003-12-16 11:43:56 AM  

#2  â€œSic transit gloria mundi.”

Hahaaa, the greek mutt uses Latin to get the point across. My, how the hellenes have fallen.
Posted by: 4thInfVet   2003-12-16 1:34:41 AM  

#1  "Let's see...21 life terms...plus 2442 years...carry the 7...less time off for good behavior...this court sentences you to time served. Next case!"
Posted by: PBMcL   2003-12-16 12:27:05 AM  

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