The criminal tribunal trying the 19 suspected members of the 'November 17' terrorist group on Monday convened to pass down the verdicts on the accused, which were read out by Appeals judges’ president Michalis Margaris, who presided over the court proceedings, which lasted 162 sessions.

   On the charge of setting up and participating in a criminal group, which all 19 detainees were charged with, the court ruled ''guilty'' the following: Dimitris Koufodinas, Savvas Xiros, Christodoulos Xiros, Vassilis Tzortzatos, Dionyssis Georgiadis, Vassilis Xiros, Costas Karatsolis, Thomas Serifis, Pavlos Serifis, Alexandros Giotopoulos, and Nikos Papanastasiou.
  Acquitted of this charge, by majority vote, are the following: Costas Telios, Yannis Serifis , Theologos Psaradellis and Patroklos Tselentis, while Angeliki Sotiropoulou was found not guilty due to doubts. The court ruled that criminal proceedings for this crime are halted against the five.
   Psaradellis was acquitted of the charges of participation in two robberies.
   Sotiropoulou was further acquitted, by majority vote, of charges of participation in the killing of British defense attache Stephen Saunders, while Anestis Papanastasiou was also acquitted.
   Sotiropoulou was also acquitted of the final charge she faced, of complicity in the incident during which a bomb exploded in Savvas Xiros' hands in Piraeus on June 29, 2002, that resulted in the first ever arrest of a 17N suspect (Savvas Xiros) and snowballed into the arrests of a further 18 suspects.

   The long-awaited trial opened Monday, March 3, at the women's section of the Korydallos prison, near Piraeus, under stringent security measures, and adjourned on November 24, after 162 sessions.
   Prosecution witnesses numbered more than 350, among them 40 foreign nationals. Defense lawyers numbered 150, while the accused were facing charges for an overall total of some 2,000 crimes.
 - Alexandros Giotopoulos, 59, (code-name Lambros and believed to be the terrorist group's leader), faced some 1,000 charges as, according to the indictment sheet, he was considered the moral instigator of all the 17N activities. He was believed to have been a member of 17N from its founding in 1975 up until his arrest in July 2002.
 - Nikos Papanastasiou, 52, (code-name Nikitas) faced eight charges for participating in three 17N attacks: the 1984 attempted assassination of US air force sergeant Robert Judd, the 1984 robbery of a National Bank branch in Kato Petralona in which police officer Christos Matis was killed, and the 1985 assassination of Athens daily 'Apogevmatini' publisher Nikos Mompheratos and his driver Panayotis Rousetis. He is considered to have been a 17N member from 1975 up to his arrest in July 2002.
 - Dimitris Koufodinas, 45 (code-name Loukas, believed to be the organization’s top hit-man) faced 253 charges for participation in 84 17N activities, including participation in many 17N killings, such as the murder of police officer Christos Matis in 1984 National Bank robbery in Kato Petralona; 'Apogevmatini' publisher Nikos Mompheratos and his driver Panayotis Rousetis in 1985; industrialist Dimitris Angelopoulos in 1986; industrialist Alexandros Athanasiadis-Bodosakis in 1988; fatal shooting of prosecutor Costas Androulidakis in 1989; New Democracy (ND) MP Pavlos Bakoyannis in 1989; US sergeant Ronald Steward in 1991; Turkish embassy assistant press attache Gyorgu Cetin in 1991; and British embassy military attache Brigadier Stephen Saunders in 2000, among others. He was believed to have been a 17N member from early 1983 to his arrest in July 2002.
 - Savvas Xiros, 41, (code-name Michalis) faced 206 charges for participation in 78 17N activities, including the assassinations of: US embassy military attache William Nordeen in 1988; New Democracy MP Pavlos Bakoyannis in 1989; former National Bank governor Michalis Vranopoulos in 1994; Turkish diplomat Omer Haluk Sipahioglu in 1994; shipowner and former shareholder and director of Elefsis Shipyards Costis Peraticos in 1997, among others. Believed to have joined 17N in 1986.
 - Christodoulos Xiros, 45, (code-name Manolis, older brother of Savvas Xiros), faced 190 charges for participation in 78 17N activities. Believed to be a 17N member from late-1983 to his arrest in July 2002.
 - Patroclos Tselentis, 43, (code-name Alekos or Tainias) faced 41 charges for participation in ten 17N activities, including five assassinations. Believed to have joined 17N in 1983.
 - Vassilis Tzortzatos, 48, (code-name Stamatis) faced 175 charges for participation in 33 17N activities, including 7 assassinations. Believed to have joined the group in 1985.
 - Vassilis Xiros, 31, (code-name Panais, younger brother of Savvas and Christodoulos Xiros), faced 39 charges for participation in 28 17N activities, including accessory in the assassinations of shipowner and former shareholder and director of Elefsis Shipyards Costis Peraticos in 1997; and British embassy military attache Brigadier Stephen Saunders in 2000. Believed to have joined the group in 1995.
- Iraklis Kostaris, 37, (code-name Haris), faced 30 charges for participation in 9 17N activities, including accessory in the assassination of shipowner and former shareholder and director of Elefsis Shipyards Costis Peraticos in 1997 and as an accomplice in the assassination of New Democracy (ND) MP Pavlos Bakoyannis in 1989. Believed to have been a 17N member from 1988 up to his arrest in July 2002.
 - Costas Karatsolis, 37, (code-name Stelios), faced 13 charges for participation in six 17N activities, mostly concerning armed robberies, and one assassination attempt. Believed to have joined the group in late 1987.
 - Sotiris Kondylis, 43, (code-name Aris), faced 18 charges, including accessory in the assassination of Turkish diplomat Omer Haluk Sipahioglu in 1994. Believed to have joined the group in 1990.
 - Pavlos Serifis, 47, faced three major charges under the anti-terrorism law faced by most of the accused, concerning set-up and membership in a criminal organization, arms possession, and construction, procurement and possession of explosive materials. Believed to have been a member of 17N from its founding in 1975 up to his arrest in July 2002.
 - Yannis Serifis, 65 (cousin of Pavlos Serifis) faced the same charges as Pavlos Serifis. Believed to have been a member of 17N from its founding in 1975 up to his arrest in July 2002.
 - Costas Telios, 38, (code-name Markos), faced 14 charges for participation in four 17N activities. Believed to have joined the group in 1988, and of being a member up until his arrest in July 2002.
 - Thomas Serifis, 37, (code-name Stathis), faced eight charges for participation in four 17N activities. He was not facing charges related to the 17N assassinations. Believed to have joined the group in late 1988.
 - Theologos Psaradellis, 60, (code-name Fotis), faced six charges for participation in two 17N armed robberies -- that of the ELTA post office in Patissia, Athens, in 1988, and at the ELTA post office in Egaleo in 1988. Believed to have joined the organization in 1978.
 - Dionyssis Georgiadis, 27, (code-name Alexis), faced nine charges for participation in four 17N activities. Was not charged with participation in 17N assassinations. Believed to have joined the organization in 1988.
 - Angeliki Sotiropoulou, 41, (the only woman arrested for alleged membership in 17N, former wife of another defendant, Savvas Xiros, and long-time companion of defendant Dimitris Koufodinas, whom she married in a civil service at Korydallos prison after their incarceration) faced five charges for participation in two 17N activities: the assassination of British embassy military attache Brigadier Stephen Saunders in 2000, and an attempted explosion in the port of Piraeus. She was believed to have joined the group in 1986.
 - Anestis Papanastasiou, 41 (cousin of defendant Nikos Papanastasiou). He was not charged with participation in any 17N attack, but accused of set-up and membership in a criminal organization.       
   Reduced sentences will be imposed on Patroklos Tselentis, Costas Telios, Thomas Serifis and Sotiris Kondylis, since the court recognized as mitigating circumstances their "genuine repentance".
   Alexandros Giotopoulos is the only one of the 19 defendants to be found guilty of the crime of "moral instigation" in all the cases of murder with which the '17 November' terrorist group is charged.

Sentencing on Wednesday

   'November 17' terrorist group mastermind Alexandros Giotopoulos and top hit-man Dimitris Koufodinas, as well as Savvas Xiros, Christodoulos Xiros, Vassilis Tzortzatos and Iraklis Kostaris are facing life sentences, after being convicted Monday by the three-member criminal court trying 19 suspected 17N suspects.
   Giotopoulos, Koufodinas, Savvas and Christodoulos Xiros and Vassilis Tzortzatos are expected to be handed down sentences of several times life, when the court reconvenes later in the week to pass sentences.
   Judicial sources believe that Nikos Papanastasiou and Pavlos Serifis, who were convicted only for the crime of "setting up and participating in a criminal organization", will face prison sentences of 5-10 years.

Convictions

 Convictions of defendants in the murders and other felony crimes carried out by 'November 17', as announced by the court on Monday:

   For the murder of police guard Christos Matis in the 1984 National Bank robbery in Kato Petralona, convicted are: Dimitris Koufodinas, Christodoulos Xiros, Patroklos Tselentis and Alexandros Giotοpoulos. Acquitted: Nikos Papanastasiou.
   For the murders of 'Apogevmatini' publisher Nikos Momferatos and his driver Panayotis Rousetis in 1985, convicted are: Dimitris Koufodinas, Christodoulos Xiros, Vassilis Tzortzatos, Patroklos Tselentis and Alexandros Giotopoulos. Acquitted: Nikos Papanastasiou.
   For the murder of industrialist Dimitris Angelopoulos in 1986, convicted are: Dimitris Koufodinas, Christodoulos Xiros, Vassilis Tzortatos, Patroklos Tselentis and Alexandros Giotopoulos.
   For the murder of industrialist Alexandros Athanasiadis-Bodosakis in 1988, convicted are: Dimitris Koufodinas, Vassilis Tzortzatos and Alexandros Giotopoulos. Acquitted: Christodoulos Xiros.
   For the murder of US embassy military attache William Nordeen in 1988, convicted are: Dimitris Koufodinas, Savvas Xiros, Christodoulos Xiros, Vassilis Tzortzatos, Patroklos Tselentis, and Alexandros Giotopoulos.
   For the murder (fatal shooting) of prosecutor Costas Androulidakis in 1989, convicted are: Dimitris Koufodinas, Vassilis Tzortzatos, Costas Telios and Alexandros Giotopoulos.
   For the attempted murder of Supreme Court prosecutor Panayiotis Tarasouleas (shot and wounded in the legs) in 1989, convicted are: Dimitris Koufodinas, Savvas Xiros and Alexandros Giotopoulos.
   For the attempted murder of former public order minister George Petsos and two of his police bodyguards (their car was blown up) in 1989, convicted are: Dimitris Koufodinas, Savvas Xiros and Alexandros Giotopoulos. Acquitted: Christodoulos Xiros and Vassilis Tzortzatos.
   For the murder of main opposition New Democracy MP and party spokesman Pavlos Bakoyannis (husband of current Athens mayor Dora Bakoyianni) in 1989, convicted are: Dimitris Koufodinas, Savvas Xiros, Vassilis Tzortzatos, Iraklis Kostaris and Alexandros Giotopoulos.
   For the attempted murder of businessman Vardis Vardinoyannis (booby-trapped car, no one was injured) in 1990, convicted are: Dimitris Koufodinas, Savvas Xiros, Christodoulos Xiros, Vassilis Tzortzatos and Alexandros Giotopoulos. Acquitted: Iraklis Kostaris.
   For the murder of US sergeant Ronald Stewart in 1991, convicted are: Dimitris Koufodinas, Savvas Xiros, Christodoulos Xiros, Iraklis Kostaris and Alexandros Giotopoulos.
   For the murder of Turkish embassy assistant press attache Gyorgu Cetin, convicted are: Dimitris Koufodinas, Savvas Xiros and Alexandros Giotopoulos.
   For the attempted murder of then finance minister Yannis Paleokrassas in 1992, in which teenage pedestrian Thanos Axarlian was killed and five other passers-by were injured, convicted are: Dimitris Koufodinas, Savvas Xiros, Christodoulos Xiros, Vassilis Tzortzatos, Costas Telios and Alexandros Giotopoulos.
   For the murder of former National Bank of Greece governor Michalis Vranopoulos and injury of his driver in 1994, convicted are: Dimitris Koufodinas, Savvas Xiros and Alexandros Giotopoulos.
   For the murder of Turkish embassy diplomat Omer Haluk Sipahioglu in 1994, convicted are: Dimitris Koufodinas, Savvas Xiros, Sotiris Kondylis and Alexandros Giotopoulos.
   For the murder of shipowner and former shareholder and director of Elefsis Shipyards, Costis Peraticos, in 1997, convicted are: Dimitris Koufodinas, Savvas Xiros, Vassilis Xiros and Alexandros Giotopoulos. Acquitted: Iraklis Kostaris.
   For the murder of British embassy military attache Stephen Saunders in 2000, convicted are: Dimitris Koufodinas, Savvas Xiros, Vassilis Xiros and Alexandros Giotopoulos. Acquitted: Angeliki Sotiropoulou.
   For the attempted murder in 1988 of US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Athens station chief George Carros, all five defendants (Savvas and Christodoulos Xiros, Vassilis Tzortzatos, Patroklos Tselentis and Alexandros Giotopoulos) were acquitted.
   For the rocket attack against the US embassy in Athens in 1996, convicted are: Dimitris Koufodinas, Savvas Xiros, Vassilis Xiros, Sotiris Kondylis and Alexandros Giotopoulos.
  For the rocket attack against the residence of German ambassador in Athens Karl-Heinz Albert Kuhna in 1999, convicted are: Dimitris Koufodinas, Savvas Xiros, Vassilis Xiros and Alexandros Giotopoulos.
   Alexandros Giotopoulos was also convicted for moral instigation in the double murder the head of the US military mission in Athens, George Chantes, and his driver Nikos Veloutsos, in 1983.

   The court adjourned until Wednesday, when bench prosecutor Christos Lambrou's proposed sentences for the convicted defendants will be announced.

Source: Athens News Agency

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