GREECE: 1999 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ATHENS 007913

S/CT FOR REAP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER GR
SUBJECT: GREECE: 1999 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

REF: STATE 204472


1. THE TEXT BELOW IS OUR DRAFT CONTRIBUTION TO THE GREEK SECTION
IN THE FORTHCOMING "PATTERNS OF GLOBAL TERRORISM: 1999," AS
REQUIRED BY REFTEL.


2. PROGRESS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM IN GREECE CONTINUED
TO PROVE ILLUSIVE IN 1999 AS THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS AGAINST
U.S., OTHER FOREIGN, AND GREEK INTERESTS PROLIFERATED
SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR. INTERNATIONAL EVENTS RE-
IGNITED A LATENT ANTI-AMERICAN FEELING IN GREECE, WHICH
TERRORISTS AND ANARCHISTS EXPLOITED. THE AUTHORITIES FAILED TO
ARREST A SINGLE MEMBER OF A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION IN 1999 AND
CONVICTED ONLY TWO SUSPECTS FOR ATTACKS MOUNTED IN PREVIOUS
YEARS. GREEK AUTHORITIES CONTINUE TO PROMISE REFORMS IN
COUNTERTERRORISM INITIATIVES AND METHODS, BUT RESULTS ARE
INCONCLUSIVE.

FOLLOWING HIS DEPORTATION FROM SYRIA IN OCTOBER 1998 UNTIL HIS
CAPTURE IN NAIROBI IN FEBRUARY 1999, PKK LEADER ABDULLAH OCALAN
TRANSITED GREECE THREE TIMES. EACH TIME, GREEK OFFICIALS QUIETLY
EXPELLED HIM. SUBSEQUENTLY, SEVERAL CABINET AND OTHER SENIOR
OFFICIALS TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR HAVING PROVIDED OCALAN
TEMPORARY SAFE HAVEN IN THE GREEK AMBASSADOR'S RESIDENCE IN KENYA
AND WERE COMPELLED TO RESIGN. IN MARCH, GREECE'S MOST DEADLY
TERRORIST GROUP, "REVOLUTIONARY ORGANIZATION 17 NOVEMBER," ISSUED
A MANIFESTO PLACING RESPONSIBILITY FOR OCALAN'S ARREST ON THE
GREEK AND U.S. GOVERNMENTS. IT ALSO BLAMED THE GREEK GOVERNMENT
MORE GENERALLY FOR FAILING TO PROTECT THE COUNTRY'S INTERESTS
VIS-A-VIS TURKEY.

BETWEEN MARCH AND MAY, INDIGENOUS TERRORIST AND ANARCHIST GROUPS
MOUNTED NUMEROUS ATTACKS AGAINST WESTERN INTERESTS IN GREECE IN
SEEKING TO EXPLOIT PUBLIC UNHAPPINESS OVER THE OCALAN ARREST AND
NATO OPERATIONS AGAINST SERBIA DURING THE KOSOVO CRISIS.
NUMEROUS ANTI-U.S. AND ANTI-NATO DEMONSTRATIONS PROTESTED THE AIR
CAMPAIGN AGAINST SERBIA. THE U.S. GOVERNMENT ISSUED A PUBLIC
ANNOUNCEMENT, VALID FOR EIGHT WEEKS, INFORMING POTENTIAL U.S.
TRAVELERS TO GREECE ABOUT THE SECURITY CLIMATE.

"17 NOVEMBER" IS SUSPECTED OF CARRYING OUT ROCKET ATTACKS AGAINST
SIX TARGETS IN APRIL AND MAY ALTHOUGH IT NEVER CLAIMED
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE OPERATIONS: THE RESIDENCES OF THE
GERMAN AND DUTCH AMBASSADORS, BRANCH OFFICES OF THE RULING PASOK
PARTY, A CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, A BRITISH BANK, AND A FRENCH BANK.
OTHER TERRORIST AND ANARCHIST GROUPS TARGETED NUMEROUS U.S.,
EUROPEAN, AND GREEK BANKS AND BUSINESSES, A POLICE STATION, THE
GREEK-ISRAELI FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION, THE AUSTRIAN EMBASSY'S
COMMERCIAL OFFICE, AND A UN-AFFILIATED BUILDING. THE
PERPETRATORS PLANTED EXPLOSIVE OR INCENDIARY DEVICES (SOME WERE
DEFUSED) OR STAGED DRIVE-BY SHOOTINGS FROM MOTORCYCLES. AMONG
THE GROUPS CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ATTACKS WERE "RED
LINE," "REVOLUTIONARY NUCLEI," "BLACK STAR," "ENRAGED
ANARCHISTS," AND "FILIKI ETAIREIA." MOST ATTACKS WERE TIMED TO
OCCUR WHEN INJURIES WERE NOT LIKELY TO TAKE PLACE.
"REVOLUTIONARY NUCLEI" WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR BOMBING THE
INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL IN APRIL, WHICH KILLED ONE GREEK CITIZEN
AND INJURED ANOTHER. NO ARRESTS WERE MADE IN ANY OF THESE
INCIDENTS.

A YOUNG WOMAN ATTEMPTED TO FIREBOMB THE U.S. CONSULATE IN
THESSALONIKI IN EARLY APRIL, BUT A GUARD EMPLOYED BY THE FACILITY
FRUSTRATED THE ATTACK AND ALERTED THE POLICE. AFTER A FEW DAYS'
DETENTION, AUTHORITIES RELEASED THE WOMAN INTO THE CUSTODY OF HER
PARENTS. LATER THAT MONTH, A BOMB WAS ALSO PLACED AT THE OFFICES
OF THE FULBRIGHT FOUNDATION IN THESSALONIKI, BUT IT WAS DEFUSED
AND DESTROYED BEFORE IT COULD EXPLODE.

IN ADDITION, NUMEROUS UNIDENTIFIED CALLERS TO THE U.S. EMBASSY
ANNOUNCED BOMB ATTACKS AND OTHER LIFE-THREATENING ACTS AGAINST
THE CHANCERY, U.S. AND GREEK EMPLOYEES, THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY
SCHOOL, THE CONSULATE IN THESSALONIKI, AND U.S.-AFFILIATED HOTELS
IN ATHENS. ALL OF THESE CALLS TURNED OUT TO BE HOAXES.

FOCUSING ON THE "17 NOVEMBER" THREAT, U.S. COUNTERTERRORIST
COORDINATOR SHEEHAN CAME TO GREECE IN JULY FOR CONSULTATION WITH
MINISTER OF PUBLIC ORDER CHRYSOCHOIDIS TO ENHANCE
COUNTERTERRORIST COOPERATION. CHRYSOCHOIDIS, WHO VISITED
WASHINGTON IN OCTOBER FOR FURTHER DISCUSSIONS, PUBLICLY OUTLINED
HIS PLANS TO MODERNIZE THE HELLENIC POLICE WITH THE AIM OF
COMBATTING "17 NOVEMBER." SINCE ITS FIRST KNOWN CRIMINAL ACT IN
1975, THE MURDER OF A U.S. EMBASSY OFFICIAL, NO MEMBER OF "17
NOVEMBER" HAS BEEN ARRESTED. ALTOGETHER, "17 NOVEMBER" HAS
MURDERED FOUR U.S. DIPLOMATS AND ONE GREEK EMBASSY EMPLOYEE AND
HAS WOUNDED NUMEROUS AMERICAN OFFICIALS.

THE HELLENIC POLICE DISCOVERED BLOOD PRESUMABLY BELONGING TO THE
PERPETRATOR OF THE ATTACK IN MAY ON THE GERMAN AMBASSADOR'S
RESIDENCE. GREEK PRESS REPORTS IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER CLAIMED
THAT AUTHORITIES HAD BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY BOTH THE TYPE AND DNA
OF THE BLOOD SAMPLE AND WERE NARROWING THE SEARCH FOR THE
PERPETRATOR.

NIKOS MAZIOTIS WAS CONVICTED OF A BOMBING ATTACK AGAINST THE
DEVELOPMENT MINISTRY IN 1997 AND SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS. GIORGOS
BALAFAS, WHO HAS SERVED TIME FOR MORE SERIOUS TERRORIST-RELATED
ACTIVITIES IN THE PAST, WAS SENTENCED TO SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS
FOR WEAPONS AND DRUG POSSESSION. HIS CRIMES WERE TREATED AS AN
ORDINARY CRIMINAL CASE EVEN THOUGH THEY STEMMED FROM EARLIER
TERRORIST-RELATED CHARGES. BALAFAS REMAINS FREE ON BAIL WHILE HE
APPEALS HIS CASE.

FOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF PRESIDENT CLINTON'S VISIT TO
GREECE, NOVEMBER 19-20, A SERIES OF EXPLOSIVE OR INCENDIARY
ATTACKS (AGAIN, SOME OF WHICH DEFUSED) AND DRIVE-BY SHOOTINGS
TARGETED U.S., OTHER FOREIGN, AND GREEK BANKS AND BUSINESSES, AS
WELL AS A POST OFFICE, THE GREEK-AMERICAN UNION, THE OFFICE OF A
FORMER MINISTER OF PUBLIC ORDER FROM THE OPPOSITION NEW DEMOCRACY
PARTY, AND A COMMUNIST PARTY BRANCH OFFICE. THE "TEAM FOR ANTI-
STATE ACTION" TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOME OF THESE THE ATTACKS.
THERE WERE NO ARRESTS.

DURING COMMUNIST-ORGANIZED DEMONSTRATIONS ON THE EVENING OF THE
PRESIDENT'S ARRIVAL, ABOUT 75 TO 80 PEOPLE FIREBOMBED OR LOOTED
ALMOST 90 BUSINESSES IN DOWNTOWN ATHENS. THE POLICE ARRESTED
ABOUT 30 INDIVIDUALS. FOUR BOMB THREATS WERE ALSO CALLED INTO
THE INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE PRESIDENT'S
STAY THERE. IN ADDITION, AN UNIDENTIFIED RADIO OPERATOR SIGNALED
TO AIR FORCE ONE SHORTLY AFTER THE PRESIDENT'S DEPARTURE FROM
ATHENS THAT A BOMB HAD BEEN PLACED ON THE AIRCRAFT. THREE MORE
THREATS OF A BOMB OR ROCKET ATTACK ON THE AIRCRAFT WERE PHONED IN
SHORTLY BEFORE ITS TAKE-OFF. ALL THESE THREATS PROVED TO BE
HOAXES.

BURNS