PUBLIC ORDER MINISTER OUTLINES CT PRIORITIES,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ATHENS 001667 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR EUR/SE, EUR/PD, DS/ISI/PII, DS/OP/EUR, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/P/A FBI FOR CTC/ITOS/TGU, OIO,/IOU-II, AND WFO/NS-12 CIA FOR CTC, EUR/AEG, EUR LGL, EUR/AEGRTB JUSTICE FOR HERRUP E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/26/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER GR SUBJECT: PUBLIC ORDER MINISTER OUTLINES CT PRIORITIES, MEETS WITH FAMILY OF N17 U.S. VICTIM REF: A. A. ATHENS 01491 ¶B. B. ATHENS 1389 ¶C. C. ATHENS 104 ¶D. D. ATHENS 404 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: AMB. CHARLES P. RIES FOR REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) During a G-8 Counter-Terrorism Action Group (CTAG) lunch for G-8 Ambassadors hosted by Russian Ambassador Vdovin on June 16, Public Order Minister Polydoras gave a comprehensive description of Greece's domestic and international counter-terrorism priorities. Later, on June 26th, Polydoras met with two children of U.S. Navy Captain George Tsantes (murdered by the terrorist organization, November 17, in 1983),who were in Athens to provide victim impact testimony at the on-going N17 appeals trial. They urged Polydoras to change Greece's 20-year statute of limitations on murder, requested information on Greek law enforcement efforts to trace N17 finances, and sought assurances that Greek authorities are tracking potential follow-on terrorist organizations. In both meetings, Polydoras highlighted the importance of securing evidence to aid in successful investigations, and criticized the Greek media for fueling public sympathy for the twisted ideologies of Greek terrorists and anarchists. End Summary. -------------- -------------- Tsanteses Seek Answers on N17 Finances/Criminal Law SIPDIS -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) During both the June 16 CTAG meeting and the June 26 meeting with the two children of slain U.S. Navy Captain George Tsantes, Public Order Minister Polydoras defended GoG handling of the investigation, prosecution, and on-going appeals trial regarding the N17 terrorist organization. He provided reassurances that the government continues to work on remaining investigative leads. However, Polydoras was unable to provide specific answers to the Tsanteses request for updates on terror finance traces and legislation revisions. Because N17 had been known to finance its activities through bank robberies and other illegal activities, the Tsanteses requested an update from Polydoras on Greek law enforcement efforts to trace these stolen funds. They also wondered how the N17 defendants financed their ongoing legal fees and asked whether those funds had been traced. Polydoras said that MPO tracing and detection efforts had not yet produced any tangible results, and noted issues such as privacy concerns. ¶3. (C) The Tsantes children also criticized the Greek law that places a 20-year statute of limitations on murder, and urged Polydoras to consider changing the legislation. (Note: To date, none of the N17 defendants has confessed to the 1983 Tsantes attack or implicated the actual assailants in their SIPDIS statements, and the case subsequently expired in 2003, as per the 20-year statute of limitations. We do believe that some, if not all, of the N17 defendants involved in the Tsantes attack have been convicted on N17-related crimes and are incarcerated. End Note.) The Tsanteses cited strengthened Greek antiterror legislation, that passed in Parliament on June 24, 2004, as a possible precedent for changing Greek criminal law to eliminate the statute of limitations on murder. Polydoras explained that changing basic criminal law is very difficult and beyond his Ministry's capacity. Moreover, he characterized the changes to antiterror legislation in 2004 as having been passed during a period of bipartisan cooperation (in advance of the 2004 Summer Olympics) that has since ceased. Polydoras attempted to assure the Tsanteses, however, that he felt a moral obligation to continue the Tsantes investigation despite the statute of limitations. He also implied that under special terms (murder or acts or terror),EU legislation could possibly be applied to expired cases in Greece. In this manner, should investigations uncover the identity of the Tsantes attacker(s),a case could possibly be tried despite SIPDIS the statute of limitations. -------------- Tracking the N17 new generation -------------- ¶4. (C) In response to a Tsantes request for information on ATHENS 00001667 002 OF 003 how the Greek police monitor a possible follow-on generation to the N17 terrorists, Polydoras replied this was handled through police field work and said he regards the potential emergence of such a group as his most worrisome challenge. He explained to the CTAG group that the murder of the special guard at the British defense attache's residence in December 2004 was likely an act by such a group. What remains unknown is whether it was a planned hit or an accidental escalation of some other action. He further explained that the latest evidence of an emerging terrorist group was the small-scale bombing last month outside the residence of former MPO Giorgos Voulgarakis, an act that the Revolutionary Struggle (RS) organization has taken credit for (refs A and B). The MPO said his ministry is intensively investigating this case, as well as the large explosion near Syntagma Square in December 2005, another violent RS act. With an eye towards what worked in the N17 case, Polydoras said he places the most investigative emphasis on forensic analysis. In contrast to hard evidence, he explained, eyewitnesses are less reliable, prone to intimidation and, although there is a legal basis, it is hard for Greece to offer water-tight witness protection. ¶5. (C) In addition to these "successor-generation" terrorists, Polydoras noted the existence of "terrorist imitators." They practice "light terrorism," including gas canister attacks on banks and other purported capitalist targets, and could become full-blown terrorists. Polydoras opined that these "anarchists and ideological zealots" get sympathy and indirect support from television and newspaper commentators. They are also fed by newspaper reactions to the alleged Pakistani abduction (ref C) and the Vodaphone phonetapping affairs (ref D),with "salt and pepper" provided by anti-Americanism and the highly negative public reaction to the war in Iraq. Answering Russian Ambassador Vdovin whether UNSCR 1624 (a resolution calling on states to take certain measures relating to the incitement of terrorist acts that was adopted in September 2005) would apply to the recent RS manifesto in the wake of the Voulgarakis bombing, Polydoras responded that the GoG will use all legal tools it has available, as authorized by the Ministry of Justice, respecting human rights and EU principles and rules. -------------- International Terrorism -------------- ¶6. (C) According to Polydoras, Greece is taking measures first and foremost to secure its borders, as well as watching illegal aliens in-country. At present "we do not see a visible danger" of imported terrorism. So the terrorism threat in Greece is predominantly the targeted action of domestic groups, rather than the blind, massive strikes of London, Madrid or Istanbul, he argued. Polydoras further noted that Greece is cooperating actively with the police and ministries of interior of many countries against terrorism as well as against trafficking in humans, weapons and narcotics, and illegal migration. In November 2006, Greece will conduct an illegal migration exercise with the Balkan countries and Turkey. In contrast to these positive developments, Polydoras also noted negative forces that have hindered the deepening of European cooperation against terrorism, including the 2005 referendums in France and Netherlands against the EU constitution and withdrawal of the de Villepin education reform law, which encouraged the idea that violent protest can stop legislative change (Note: This comment was prescient in light of the subsequent postponement of Greece's own educational reforms. End note.) Other developments which "diminished the spirit of 9/11," and served to build international linkages in the European anarchist movement were "Prodi,s election in Italy" and the impact of anti-globalization protests against the 1999 WTO meeting in Seattle and 2001 G-8 Summit meeting in Genoa. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶7. (C) We have an ally in Polydoras and it was good of him to attend both the CTAG and Tsantes family meetings. His heart is in the right place and we are aware of his difficult position, given the public's apathy and even suspicion about moving against terrorism. Indeed, during the Tsantes meeting, Polydoras lamented that he was the sole GoG minister tasked with confronting domestic terrorist ideology, but ATHENS 00001667 003 OF 003 finding no support within the government and outright hostility from the media. He noted the media is shying away from N17 appeals trial coverage because it does not want to go through the "painful" process of morally "re-condemning" this group. At both meetings, Polydoras stressed the importance of combating the ideology of terrorism through mass media, democracy and human rights, and dialogue, and that international cooperation is essential. RIES