FACT SHEET ON 17 NOVEMBER

UNCLAS STATE 227151

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PTER GR
SUBJECT: FACT SHEET ON 17 NOVEMBER


1. FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF FACT SHEET ON THE REVOLUTIONARY
ORGANIZATION 17 NOVEMBER WHICH WAS RELEASED PUBLICLY ON
JULY 6. COPIES OF THE FACT SHEET BEING POUCHED TO POST
ALSO INCLUDE TWO CHARTS DEPICTING THE NUMBERS OF
TERRORIST ATTACKS BY YEAR FROM 1975-86, AND THE TYPES OF
TARGETS FOR THESE ATTACKS (US MILITARY, US DIPLOMATS
GREEK POLICE, GREEK BUSINESSMEN, ETC.)


2. BEGIN TEXT.

ACTIVE AND LETHAL

GREECE'S "REVOLUTIONARY ORGANIZATION 17 NOVEMBER" IS
PRESENTLY ONE OF THE MORE ACTIVE AND LETHAL TERRORIST

GROUPS TARGETTING AMERICANS IN WESTERN EUROPE. AND
FREQUENTLY ATTACKS GREEK CITIZENS AS WELL. SUCCESSIVE
GREEK GOVERNMENTS HAVE YET TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN
APPREHENDING ANY MEMBER OF THE GROUP.

SINCE ITS INITIAL APPEARANCE WITH THE DECEMBER 1975
ASSASSINATION OF U.S. DIPLOMAT RICHARD WELCH IN ATHENS,
THE GROUP HAS CARRIED OUT 29 ATTACKS -- ALL IN
ATHENS. SEVEN OF THESE ATTACKS HAVE BEEN AGAINST
U.S. TARGETS IN WHICH 17 NOVEMBER KILLED THREE
AMERICANS, WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR TWO ATTEMPTED
ASSASSINATIONS, AND INJURED 26 AMERICANS IN THE BOMBINGS
OF TWO MILITARY BUSES.

FOR STATISTICAL PURPOSES, MULTIPLE BUT RELATED
ATTACKS -- SUCH AS THE FEBRUARY 1989 BOMBINGS OF THREE
UNOCCUPIED RESIDENCES -- ARE COUNTED AS SEPARATE
INCIDENTS.

VERY LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE GROUP'S MEMBERSHIP, ITS
INTERNAL DYNAMICS, OR ITS OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES.
SINCE 1975, 17 NOVEMBER HAS AVERAGED JUST OVER TWO
ATTACKS A YEAR MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN INFORMATION
ON THE GROUP EXCEPT THROUGH ITS COMMUNIQUES AND ITS
CHOICE OF TARGETS.


NEW TACTICS AND TARGETTING

FOLLOWING THE FEBRUARY 21, 1985 ASSASSINATION OF GREEK
PUBLISHER NIKOS MOMFERATOS, 17 NOVEMBER MOVED INTO A NEW
OPERATIONAL PHASE. WHILE THERE WERE ONLY FIVE ATTACKS
IN THE FIRST TEN YEARS OF ITS EXISTENCE (THREE OF THESE
AGAINST AMERICANS),THE SECOND AND CURRENT PHASE IS
CHARACTERIZED BY A HIGHER LEVEL OF SOPHISTICATION AS
WELL AS AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER AND LETHALITY OF
ATTACKS.

IN THIS SECOND PHASE, 17 NOVEMBER HAS CARRIED OUT 24
ATTACKS, KILLING SEVEN PEOPLE AND INJURING 43, INCLUDING
ITS LASTEST ATTACK, THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF
FORMER MINISTER OF PUBLIC ORDER GEORGE PETSOS ON MAY 8,
1989 IN WHICH PETSOS AND TWO BODY GUARDS WERE WOUNDED.
THIS PERIOD OF JUST OVER FOUR YEARS ACCOUNTS FOR 83
PERCENT OF THE GROUP'S OPERATIONS SINCE ITS FIRST
APPEARANCE IN 1975.

ALTHOUGH 17 NOVEMBER CARRIED OUT NO BOMBINGS DURING ITS
FIRST PHASE, THE GROUP HAS CARRIED OUT 16 BOMBINGS AND
TWO ATTEMPTED BOMBINGS IN ITS SECOND PHASE, INCLUDING
FIVE REMOTE- AND ONE WIRE-DETONATED BOMB ATTACKS (FOUR
OF THESE BEING DIRECTED AGAINST U.S. TARGETS). THESE
BOMBINGS RESULTED IN TWO DEATHS AND 43 INJURIES
(INCLUDING ONE U.S. MILITARY OFFICER DEAD AND 26 OTHER
AMERICANS INJURED).

ALSO DURING THIS PERIOD, 17 NOVEMBER ASSASSINATED TWO
GREEK INDUSTRIALISTS, CARRIED OUT THREE ARMED
ASSAULTS/KNEE-CAPPINGS, AND SEIZED A SUBURBAN POLICE
STATION, MAKING OFF WITH A SMALL ARSENAL OF WEAPONS.
THE INCREASE IN TERRORIST ATTACKS MAY BE ATTRIBUTED IN
PART TO THE RECRUITMENT OF NEW AND YOUNGER MEMBERS WHO
HAVE CONVINCED THE LEADERSHIP THAT THE GROUP'S GOALS AND
OBJECTIVES CANNOT BE ACCOMPLISHED BY PERIODIC
ASSASSINATIONS ONLY.

DESPITE THIS INCREASE IN TERRORIST ACTIVITY, 17 NOVEMBER
APPEARS TO BE LIMITED IN THE NUMBER OF ATTACKS IT CAN
CARRY OUT IN ANY GIVEN YEAR. MORE ATTACKS WOULD MEAN
EXPANDING THE SIZE OF THE ORGANIZATION, WHICH COULD RUN
THE RISK OF COMPROMISING ITS INTERNAL SECURITY. SINCE
17 NOVEMBER IS BELIEVED TO BE A SINGLE TERRORIST ENTITY
RATHER THAN A GROUP COMPRISED OF MANY OPERATIONAL CELLS,
IT CANNOT CARRY OUT AS MANY ATTACKS AS A LARGER GROUP.
THIS LIMITS THE GROUP'S POTENTIAL ACTIVITIES AS THE MORE
ATTACKS IT CARRIES OUT, THE GREATER THE CHANCES OF IT
BEING CAUGHT.


SOPHISTICATED WEAPONRY

17 NOVEMBER'S RECENT USE OF REMOTE-CONTROLLED EXPLOSIVES
INCREASES THE SERIOUS SECURITY CONCERN IT POSES FOR BOTH
GREEKS AND AMERICANS. THE NOVEMBER 26, 1985 ATTACK ON A
GREEK POLICE BUS TRANSPORTING (MAT) RIOT POLICEMEN WAS
THE FIRST TIME THAT THE GROUP USED SUCH A DEVICE,
WOUNDING THIRTEEN OF THE 22 POLICEMEN ON BOARD. ONE OF
WHOM LATER DIED OF HIS WOUNDS. A REMOTE-DETONATED CAR
BOMB WAS USED IN THE ASSASSINATION OF THE U.S. DEFENSE
ATTACHE, NAVY CAPTAIN WILLIAM NORDEEN, ON JUNE 28,

1988. MOST RECENTLY, ANOTHER REMOTE-DETONATED CAR BOMB
INJURED FORMER MINISTER OF PUBLIC ORDER GEORGE PETSOS
AND TWO BODY GUARDS ON MAY 8, 1989.

WITH THE USE OF REMOTELY-CONTROLLED EXPLOSIVES, 17
NOVEMBER HAS BECOME A HIGHLY LETHAL TERRORIST
ORGANIZATION. THESE DEVICES ARE PROVEN CAPABLE OF
CAUSING MAJOR DESTRUCTION, EVEN AGAINST ARMORED
VEHICLES, THUS RENDERING PROTECTIVE DEFENSES
INADEQUATE.THE AUGUST 1988 ATTACK ON A SUBURBAN POLICE
STATION DEMONSTRATES THAT 17 NOVEMBER IS CAPABLE OF
MOUNTING A SOPHISTICATED TERRORIST ATTACK USING SEVERAL
OPERATIVES AGAINST A SECURE SITE. THE ATTACK NETTED THE
GROUP ADDITIONAL HIGH-POWERED WEAPONRY WHICH MIGHT BE
USED IN FUTURE LETHAL ATTACKS.


BACKGROUND AND IDEOLOGY

THE GROUP TAKES ITS NAME FROM THE DATE IN 1973 WHEN THE
GREEK JUNTA SENT RIOT POLICE BACKED BY TANKS INTO THE
ATHENS POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE TO STOP AN OCCUPATION BY
STUDENTS DEMANDING AN END TO MILITARY RULE. AT LEAST 20
PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND 200 PEOPLE WERE INJURED IN THE
INCIDENT. THIS EVENT GALVANIZED PUBLIC DISSATISFACTION
WITH THE MILITARY REGIME AND SERVED AS A PRELUDE FOR A
SERIES OF EVENTS THAT EVENTUALLY LED TO ITS DOWNFALL IN
JULY 1974. ITS COMMUNIQUES OVER THE YEARS SHOW 17
NOVEMBER TO BE A VIOLENT MARXIST-LENINIST ORGANIZATION
THAT IS DOCTRINALLY ANTI-CAPITALIST, ANTI-U.S. AND
ANTI-NATO.

THE GROUP HAS ALSO BEEN VERY CRITICAL OF THE GREEK
GOVERNMENT FOR NOT ADDRESSING A NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT IT
VIEWS AS INIMICAL TO GREEK INTERESTS, SUCH AS THE
SITUATION IN CYPRUS, THE GREECE-TURKEY RAPPROACHMENT,
THE PRESENCE OF U.S. BASES, AND GREEK MEMBERSHIP IN THE
NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION (NATO) AND THE
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (EC). 17 NOVEMBER ALSO
VIEWS ITSELF AS THE "VANGUARD OF THE WORKING CLASS." IT
IS QUICK TO REACT TO DOMESTIC ISSUES -- TAXES, LABOR,
HIGH MEDICAL COSTS -- WHICH ARE OF IMMEDIATE CONCERN TO
THE GREEK PEOPLE. FOR THESE REASONS, NEARLY TWO-THIRDS
OF ITS ATTACKS HAVE BEEN AGAINST GREEK TARGETS.

ORGANIZATION

17 NOVEMBER'S ORGANIZATION MAY BE SIMILAR TO OTHER
LEFT-WING EUROPEAN TERRORIST GROUPS SUCH AS WEST
GERMANY'S RED ARMY FACTION RAF) AND FRANCE.S ACTION
DIRECT (AD). IT IS A SMALL, HIGHLY-DISCIPLINED GROUP
WHOSE "HARD CORE" MEMBERS PROBABLY NUMBER NO MORE THAN
20 PEOPLE. IT IS NOT CLEAR HOW DECISIONS ARE MADE, BUT
JUDGING FROM SIMILAR RADICAL GROUPS IN WEST EUROPE, THEY
ARE PROBABLY COLLECTIVE.

THE GROUP'S HARD CORE MEMBERS MAY HAVE BEEN UNIVERSITY
STUDENTS DURING THE 1970.S IN GREECE, AND POSSIBLY WERE
INVOLVED IN THE CAMPUS ACTIVITY THAT HELPED BRING ABOUT

THE FALL OF THE MILITARY JUNTA. TODAY, THIS HARD CORE
WOULD HAVE REACHED THEIR LATE 30'S AND EARLY 40'S, SOME
COULD EVEN BE HOLDING PROFESSIONAL JOBS SUCH AS LAWYERS,
JOURNALISTS AND TEACHERS. IF THESE MEMBERS ARE INDEED
"PART-TIME" TERRORISTS (AS OPPOSED TO TERRORISTS WHO
LIVE TOTALLY UNDERGROUND),IT WOULD ENHANCE THE VEIL OF
SECRECY OVER 17 NOVEMBER'S ORGANIZATION.

ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF TIES TO FOREIGN
TERRORIST GROUPS, 17 NOVEMBER MAY BE AFFILIATED WITH THE
REVOLUTIONARY PEOPLE'S STRUGGLE (ELA),BELIEVED TO BE A
LOOSE COALITION OF VIOLENT, EXTREME LEFTIST GROUPS IN
GREECE.

FUTURE PROSPECTS

IN CONTRAST TO OTHER WEST EUROPEAN TERRORIST GROUPS, 17
NOVEMBER HAS NEVER TARGETED A CURRENT HIGH-RANKING GREEK
GOVERNMENT OR MILITARY OFFICIAL, ALTHOUGH IT DID ATTEMPT
TO KILL A FORMER PUBLIC ORDER MINISTER. THE GROUP MAY
FEEL THAT THE TIME IS NOT RIGHT FOR AN ATTACK ON A
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GOVERNING SYSTEM AND THAT IT IS
NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND THE REPERCUSSIONS THAT
WOULD FOLLOW. 17 NOVEMBER HAS ALSO NEVER CARRIED OUT AN
ATTACK AGAINST NON-OFFICIAL AMERICANS OR THEIR OFFICES,
WHETHER TOURISTS OR BUSINESSMEN, NOR HAS IT PROMINENTLY
MENTIONED A U.S. COMPANY IN ITS COMMUNIQUES -- PERHAPS
INDICATING THAT TARGETING U.S. FIRMS IS NOT CURRENTLY A
HIGH PRIORITY, ALTHOUGH THIS TOO COULD CHANGE.

THE SERIOUS THREAT BY 17 NOVEMBER TO OFFICIAL U.S.
PERSONNEL AND FACILITIES IN GREECE, HOWEVER, CONTINUES
UNCHECKED. IN THE LAST PARAGRAPH OF ITS COMMUNIQUE
FOLLOWING THE JUNE 1988 ASSASSINATION OF CAPTAIN
NORDEEN, 17 NOVEMBER RATIONALIZED ITS ACTIONS SAYING
THAT AMERICAN MILITARY FORCES IN THE COUNTRY WERE AN
OCCUPATION FORCE, AND: WE ARE GOING TO HIT ANYBODY WHO
IS A MEMBER OF IT OR AN AGENT OF ITS SECRET SERVICES.
THESE ACTIONS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE AND ARE GOING TO
INCREASE UNTIL THE LAST TURKISH SOLDIER LEAVES CYPRUS
AND THE LAST AMERICAN SOLDIER LEAVES OUR COUNTRY.

17 NOVEMBER
CHRONOLOGY OF ATTACKS IN ATHENS

1976

DECEMBER 23 THE REVOLUTIONARY ORGANIZATION
17 NOVEMBER, A PREVIOUSLY

UNKNOWN GROUP, CLAIMED CREDIT
FOR ASSASSINATING U.S. DIPLOMAT
RICHARD WELCH OUTSIDE HIS HOME.

1976

DECEMBER 14 EVANGELOS MALLIOS, A FORMER
POLICE CAPTAIN DURING THE GREEK
MILITARY JUNTA (1967-74),WAS
SHOT AND FATALLY WOUNDED BY A
LONE GUNMAN WHILE WALKING HOME,
DYING FOUR HOURS LATER IN
SURGERY.

1980

JANUARY 16 MAJOR GENERAL PANTELIS PETROU,
DEPUTY COMMANDER OF THE ATHENS
RIOT POLICE (MAT) AND FORMER
INTELLIGENCE OFFICER DURING THE
GREEK MILITARY JUNTA, AND HIS
DRIVER WERE SHOT AND KILLED
WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK
AFTER THREE MEN IN A CAR FORCED
PETROU'S CAR TO STOP.

1983

NOVEMBER 15 U.S. NAVY CAPTAIN GEORGE TSANTES
AND HIS GREEK DRIVER NIKOLAOS
VELOUTSOS WERE SHOT AND KILLED
WHEN TSANTES' CAR WAS STOPPED AT
A TRAFFIC LIGHT. TWO MEN ON A
MOTOCYCLE PULLED ALONGSIDE
TSANTES'S CAR AND SHOT BOTH MEN.

1984

APRIL 3 U.S. ARMY MASTER SERGEANT ROBERT

H. JUDD, JR. WAS ATTACKED BY TWO
MEN ON A MOTORCYCLE WHILE
STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE
ATTACKERS HAD PULLED UP
ALONGSIDE JUDD.S CAR AND FIRED
FIVE ROUNDS AT HIM. JUDD WAS
ABLE TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION AND
ESCAPED WITH ONLY MINOR INJURIES.

1985

FEBRUARY 21 NIKOS MOMFERATOS, PUBLISHER OF
GREECE'S LARGEST CONSERVATIVE
NEWSPAPER APOGEVMATINI
(AFTERNOONER),AND HIS DRIVER
WERE SHOT AND KILLED BY TWO
GUNMEN WHO OPENED FIRE AS
MOMFERATOS. CAR SLOWED DOWN TO
MAKE A LEFT TURN.

NOVEMBER 26 THIRTEEN (MAT) RIOT POLICEMEN
WERE INJURED, ONE LATER DIED, AS
A POWERFUL CAR BOMB EXPLODED AS
THEIR POLICE BUS PASSED BY.

1986

APRIL 8 DEMITRIOS ANGELOPOULOS A GREEK
STEEL MAGNATE, WAS SHOT AND
KILLED BY A LONE GUNMAN WHILE
WALKING TO WORK.

OCTOBER 5 FOUR SEPARATE GOVERNMENT TAX
OFFICES LOCATED AROUND ATHENS
WERE BOMBED IN THE EARLY MORNING
HOURS. NO ONE WAS HURT IN THE
EXPLOSIONS.

1987

FEBRUARY 4 DR. ZACHARIAS KAPSALAKIS, WHO
WAS LEAVING HIS OFFICE WITH HIS
WIFE, WAS ATTACKED BY TWO MEN
WHO APPROACHED AND SHOT HIM
SEVERAL TIMES IN THE STOMACH AND
LEGS. (THIS ATTACK MARKED A
DEPARTURE FROM PAST 17 NOVEMBER
ARMED ASSAULTS SINCE THE VICTIM
PURPOSELY WAS NOT KILLED.)

APRIL 24 SIXTEEN AMERICANS AND TWO GREEK
CITIZENS WERE INJURED WHEN A
BOMB EXPLODED IN FRONT OF A
MILITARY BUS CARRYING U.S.
SERVICEMEN.

AUGUST 10 TEN AMERICANS AND TWO GREEK

CITIZENS WERE INJURED WHEN A CAR
BOMB EXPLODED AS A U.S. MILITARY
BUS PASSED BY.

1988

JANUARY 22 AN ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE A DEA
AGENT IN ATHENS WITH A
REMOTE-DETONATED BOMB
FAILED WHEN THE TERRORIST
RESPONSIBLE FOR DETONATING THE
DEVICE WAS FRIGHTENED OFF BY A
PASSER-BY.

MARCH 1 GREEK INDUSTRIALIST ALEXANDROS
ATHANASIADIS WAS SHOT AND
FATALLY WOUNDED BY AN ASSASSIN
ON A MOTORCYCLE.

MAY 23 ATTEMPTS TO ASSASSINATE FOUR
TURKISH DIPLOMATS WITH BOMBS
PLACED UNDER THEIR CARS FAILED.
TWO OF THE BOMBS EXPLODED WITH
NO CASUALTIES, WHILE TWO OTHERS
WERE DISCOVERED AND DESTROYED.

JUNE 28 THE U.S. DEFENSE ATTACHE, NAVY
CAPTAIN WILLIAM NORDEEN, WAS
ASSASSINATED IN A
REMOTE-DETONATED CAR BOMB
EXPLOSION.

AUGUST 15 AN ATHENS SUBURBAN POLICE
STATION WAS SEIZED BY 17
NOVEMBER TERRORISTS. THE POLICE
OFFICERS WERE TIED UP AND A
SMALL ARSENAL OF WEAPONS WERE
TAKEN.

1989

JANUARY 10 17 NOVEMBER CLAIMED CREDIT FOR
SEPARATE
JANUARY 18 SHOOTING ATTACKS WHICH WOUNDED
TWO GOVERNMENT PROSECUTORS, ONE
OF WHOM LATER DIED FROM
COMPLICATIONS STEMMING FROM HIS
INJURIES. (A THIRD GOVERNMENT
PROSECUTOR WAS KILLED LATER IN

JANUARY BY THE 1ST OF MAY GROUP,
WHICH MAY BE LINKED TO 17
NOVEMBER.)

FEBRUARY 22 THREE UNOCCUPIED RESIDENCES WERE
BOMBED TO CALL ATTENTION TO HIGH
HOUSING COSTS.

MAY 8 FORMER MINISTER OF PUBLIC ORDER
GEORGE PETSOS, ALONG WITH TWO
BODY GUARDS, WERE INJURED IN A
REMOTE-DETONATED CAR BOMB
EXPLOSION.

//END//

THE OFFICE OF THE COORDINATOR FOR
COUNTER-TERRORISM APPRECIATES THE ASSISTANCE OF
THE THREAT ANALYSIS DIVISION OF THE BUREAU OF
DIPLOMATIC SECURITY WHICH COMPILED THIS
REPORT. END OF TEXT. BAKER


UNCLASSIFIED