The United States has weighed in again on the recent release of Alexandros Giotopoulos, the mastermind of the defunct guerrilla group November 17, publicly urging the Greek government to do everything within its power to ensure that he returns to prison.
Giotopoulos, 82, who had been incarcerated since 2002 for his role in the group, was granted conditional release last week, a decision a Supreme Court prosecutor is now seeking to overturn.
“We strongly support these efforts and urge the Greek Government to do all it can to return Giotopoulos to prison,” the State Department said, in a strongly worded statement.
The department also expressed its “deep disappointment” over the decision by the Piraeus Court of Appeals to release Giotopoulos, describing him as “the leader and mastermind of the far-left Greek terrorist organization 17 November.”
The statement highlighted the group’s long and violent history, noting that “over the course of 27 years, 17 November assassinated four American government employees: Richard Welch, Captain George Tsantes, Captain William Nordeen and Sergeant Ronald Stewart. The group also murdered a British military attaché, a Turkish embassy employee, and 16 prominent Greeks, including the brother-in-law of current Prime Minister Mitsotakis.”
