About the political witch hunt across Greece
Only days before the commencing of the trial of a number of people accused of participating in the urban guerrilla group Conspiracy of Cells of Fire (the trial starts on Monday, 17/1), the police’s anti-terrorist unit has launched an operation across Greece. Four were arrested; the fourth person is a member of the parliamentary ‘leftist’ party Synaspismos: he has described how he was stopped on the street, pushed in a car, beaten and held at the Police HQ for hours before being released and informed by police he was arrested by mistake, as he looked like one of ‘the suspects.’
On 13 January at about 4 pm, this man (member of the above mentioned parliamentary party) walked down a central street in the district of Vyronas in Athens, when suddenly a guy appeared in front of him and outstretched a gun, asking him to stay still. At first he thought they were fascists, and began shouting for help. The ‘commandos’ pushed him in a car (with punches and kicks) and covered his head with a hood. He realized that they were policemen. He told them his name and that he is a member of this parliamentary party. On the way to the General Police Headquarters of Athens (GADA) the cops were swearing at him and continued to beat him. One said: ‘cunt, you’ll pay for spoiling New Year’s Eve’ (meaning the bomb which exploded outside Athens’ court buildings). Another cop searched his bag, where there were his study books, and stated: ‘cunt, you’re the own writing the proclamations’ (there’s obviously obsession with cunt)…
Arriving at the Police HQ, at the 12th floor, the cops completely stripped the man and searched his personal belongings. Unfortunately, a few hours ago he had found an identity card on his way that he intended to give in to a police station. The discovery of a second identity card confirmed the… success of the anti-terror cops! After two hours, they led him to the 6th floor, where one officer said: ‘We mistook you for somebody else. If you could see how much you look alike, you would understand.’ Around 7.30 pm they released him.
The police not only are brazenly arbitrary, but also capture any passer-by as a ‘suspected terrorist.’ The anti-terror squad thrashes mercilessly (as has been denounced by the arrested for the case of the Revolutionary Struggle). In this ordinary, everyday story, the cops detained a man for hours at the general headquarters although they had learned his full details and political integration (they knew he wasn’t the man who they allegedly searched).
Of course, the… shrewd police reporters haven’t pulled a word on the subject during the terror-news bulletin of 8 pm (as the media prepare the ‘climate’ for the trial on Monday, 17 January, which will take place inside the walls of Koridallos prisons).
One day after the arrest of four comrades, the anti-terrorist cops arrested a 27-year-old woman from Germany. She is accused for participation in a terrorist group (the name of the group has not yet been decided by the police!). Lawyers or detailed information about what she is accused is considered luxury for people arrested in Greece. But the mass media come to fill the gap of the non-existing evidence, so the Greek journalists and TV reporters started to spread surreal scenarios about her parents being members of RAF and other armed groups in Germany. They also ‘informed’ the public opinion that her father was killed during a guerrilla action in Germany! Her father is still alive – perhaps he is a bit more insecure after he was informed about his death (a letter by her mother)…
The proceedings against these ‘suspects’ include (absurd) accusations of committing felonies.
The crime of the five arrested persons is solidarity and dignity.
Sources: athens.indymedia.org, babylonia.gr, occupiedlondon.org/blog, actforfreedomnow.blogspot.com
update: Open letter by Fee Marie Meyer on her recent arrest by the anti-terrorist unit
There will be more updates