New book by ex-US diplomat delves deeper into the recesses of Greek terrorism

 Brady Kiesling spent years researching local urban guerrilla groups and used innovative methods to yield new findings

By Nick Malkoutzis

There was something surreal about hearing Christodoulos Xeros, a convicted member of the November 17 terrorist group known for its bloody 27-year campaign against US, British and Turkish targets as well as members of the Greek establishment, rage against the troika and German Chancellor Angela Merkel when he was arrested in January after 12 months on the run.

One man who would not have been surprised by Xeros's attempt to tap into the Greek public's zeitgeist is Brady Kiesling. The former US Embassy official has just published a book on Greece's urban guerrilla groups ("Greek Urban Warriors: Resistance and Terrorism 1967-2014," Lycabettus Press). Much of it focuses on the dominant terrorist movement during this period, November 17, and clearly explains how the group tried to move with the times during almost three decades of operation as it sought to rally popular will behind its actions.

Part crime thriller, part forensic study, Kiesling's book is a detailed examination of how and why these groups formed after the collapse of the military dictatorship, as well as their modus operandi. He provides unique insight into the day-to-day lives of November 17 members by studying accounting books kept by the group, whose members remain in the public eye even 12 years after they were convicted in court.

Kiesling spoke to Kathimerini English Edition about what he discovered during the process of writing the book.

After the trial of November 17 members, interest in the group started to wane. At that point what prompted you to spend several years of your life delving into their history...