THESSALONIKI: HEAVY AMMUNITION FOUND IN JUNKYARD NOT

UNCLAS THESSALONIKI 000008 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/SE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL PTER GR SUBJECT: THESSALONIKI: HEAVY AMMUNITION FOUND IN JUNKYARD NOT CONNECTED TO TERRORISM, ACCORDING TO POLICE REF: ATHENS 248 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Police and military officials report that two anti-tank missiles and five mortars found in an illegal landfill in Thrace, northern Greece on February 26 had been stolen from a northern Greek military storage facility installation on the border with Turkey in November 2008. Police say there is no evidence terrorists were involved in the theft or dumping of the weapons. The anti-terrorist unit of northern Greece is nevertheless conducting an investigation into the matter. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) On February 26, Greek police and army officials announced the discovery of anti-tank missiles and mortars partially buried in an illegal landfill in the town of Sapes in Thrace, northern Greece. Police were tipped off by a private citizen who said he found the weapons under some trash in the landfill. The weapons included two anti-tank "Milan" missiles and five 81mm mortars. (Note: Jane's Information online describes the Milan as "a second-generation tube-launched spin-stabilised Anti-Tank Guided Weapon (ATGW) capable of being launched from either ground or vehicle mounts." End note.) The police blocked off the area and Army personnel collected the weapons. ¶3. (U) A spokesman for the Army General Staff told media that the ammunition had been reported stolen from a military installation in the neighboring Prefecture of Evros (on the Greek/Turkish border) on November 28, 2008. According to local media, police officials believe that criminals stole the weapons for sale on the black market, but dumped them in the landfill after failing to find a buyer. ¶4. (SBU) Greek police are downplaying the seriousness of the incident. A senior Greek police official who works on anti-terrorism matters told Post there is no evidence linking the stolen weapons to terrorism. He also pointed out that the missiles were not deployable without a launching device, and no launchers had been stolen in Greece recently that could have been used with the stolen weapons. The anti-terrorist police unit of Northern Greece is nevertheless conducting an investigation into the matter. ¶5. (SBU) COMMENT: The weapons discovery in Thrace occurred at a time of growing public concern about a possible resurgence of domestic terrorism (Ref) and also about the police's readiness to confront it. The incident, while apparently not connected to terrorism, will likely increase pressure on Greek authorities to show they are taking all necessary measures to secure weapons stockpiles, and to bring to justice those who managed to steal the missiles and dump them in a landfill undetected. END COMMENT. YEE