Xeros

Relatives of victims of domestic terrorist attacks in Greece on Thursday expressed opposition to a bill that would allow convicted November 17 member Savvas Xeros, among others, to be released from prison, distributing leaflets to MPs ahead of a debate in Parliament?s plenary session on the proposed reform.

Justice Minister Nikos Paraskevopoulos on Wednesday described as ?unfortunate? and ?excessive? a previous comment in which he suggested that the state was largely responsible for November 17 terrorist Savvas Xeros losing his eyesight.

Government officials clashed with opposition MPs in Parliament on Wednesday on a bill aimed at decongesting prisons that includes a provision permitting house arrest for seriously disabled prisoners.

Giorgos Momferatos, whose publisher father was murdered by November 17 terrorists, has slammed a government bill that foresees the early release of heavily disabled prisoners saying that it is designed to benefit convicted hitman Savvas Xeros.

The anti-terrorism squad arrested two people on Thursday as part of its ongoing investigation into an alleged plan to help members of the urban guerrilla group Conspiracy of the Cells of Fire escape from jail.

Officers arrested a 27-year-old man, thought to be an Albanian national, and his 24-year-old wife.

Counterterrorism officers investigating the apparent links between November 17 convict Christodoulos Xeros and jailed members of Conspiracy of the Cells of Fire believe a plot of land in Neo Peramo, close to Elefsina, served as a bomb-testing area for members of guerrilla groups.

Police have found another safe house they believed was used by November 17 member Christodoulos Xeros while he was on the run last year.

Xeros was recaptured in January after spending 12 months evading authorities. He had failed to return to Korydallos Prison from a 9-day furlough.

Justice Minister Nikos Paraskevopoulos insisted on Thursday that the government?s plans to pass legislation allowing the release of prisoners suffering from disabilities had nothing to do with November 17 terrorist Savvas Xeros, who is also set to benefit from the proposed measures.

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

By Nick Malkoutzis

Justice Minister Nikos Paraskevopoulos on Tuesday put up for public consultation a prison reform bill that will allow convicted November 17 terrorist Savvas Xeros, among others, to be released from prison.