The special court trying the 'November 17' terrorist group case on Wednesday passed down sentences on the 15 defendants convicted in the rulings announced last week, in which four other defendants were acquitted. The life penalties were in line with the sentences by bench prosecutor Christos Lambrou, while the sentences for long-term imprisonment were slightly differentiated with 2-3 year reductions on charges warranting reduced sentences. 
   After completion of the announcement of the sentences, the court recessed for one hour to enable Lambrou to submit his proposal for concurrent sentences. 

   According to the sentences passed down, Alexandros Giotopoulos, the group's mastermind, has been sentenced to 21 times life, top hitman Dimitris Koufodinas to 13 times life, Christodoulos Xiros to 10 times life, Savvas Xiros to 6 times life, Vassilis Tzortzatos to 4 times life, and Iraklis Kostaris to one life sentence (for his participation in the killing of main opposition New Democracy MP and husband of current Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyanni, Pavlos Bakoyannis). 
   In addition, the court passed down sentences of 344 years for Patroklos Tselentis, 147 years for Vassilis Xiros, 120 years for Costas Telios, 51 years for Sotiris Kondylis, 20 years for Thomas Serifis, 45 years for Costas Karatsolis, 12 years for Dionyssis Georgiadis, 8 years for Pavlos Serifis, and 8 years for Nikos Papanastasiou. 

The final sentences passed down on the 15 convicted 'November 17' members, following the calculation of concurrency, are as follows:

Alexandros Giotopoulos: 21 times life + 25 years
Dimitri Koufodinas: 13 times life + 25 years
Christodoulos Xiros: 10 times life + 25 years
Savvas Xiros: 6 times life + 25 years
Vassilis Tzortzatos: 4 times life + 25 years
Iraklis Kostaris: 1 time life + 25 years
Costas Karatsolis: 25 years
Vassilis Xiros: 25 years
Costas Telios: 25 years
Patroklos Tselentis: 25 years
Sotiris Kondylis: 25 years
Thomas Serifis: 17 years
Dionyssis Georgiadis: 9 years
Pavlos Serifis: 8 years
Nikos Papanastasiou: 8 years

   The court imposed a total of 55 life sentences (on Alexandros Giotopoulos, Dimitri Koufodinas, Savvas Xiros, Christodoulos Xiros, Vassilis Tzortzatos and Iraklis Kostaris), and sentences totalling 9,225 years on the 15 convicted defendants (in addition to the life sentences).
   The court reduced the total years by 1,687 vis-a-vis bench prosecutor Christos Lambrou's proposed sentences which had totalled 10,912 years (apart from the life terms).

   The court ruled in favor of prosecutor Lambrou's proposal for acceptance of an appeal for suspension of execution of the sentence only for Costas Telios, who will be set free on a 700 euro bond with restrictions, including prohibition from leaving the country and the requirement of appearing regularly at a police station.
   The court rejected all other suspended sentence petitions.
   The court further imposed fines of 21,000 euro on Alexandros Giotopoulos, 23,500 euro on Dimitri Koufodinas, 5,000 euro on Christodoulos Xiros, 23,500 euro on Savvas Xiros, 6,500 euro on Vassilis Tzortzatos, and 7,500 euro on Vassilis Xiros with respect to the bomb explosions carried out by 17N.

Details

   On the basic felony charge of setting up and participating in a criminal organization, the court passed down the following prison sentences, respectively (the prosecutor's proposed sentences are in brackets, where different from sentence passed):
- Dimitris Koufodinas: 8 years (10)
- Savvas Xiros: 8 years (10)
- Christodoulos Xiros: 8 years (10)
- Vassilis Tzortzatos: 8 years (10)
- Vassilis Xiros: 5 years (7)
- Dionyssis Georgiadis: 5 years (7)
- Nikos Papanastasiou: 8 years (10)
- Costas Karatsolis: 5 years (7)
- Iraklis Kostaris: 7 years (10)
- Thomas Serifis: 4 years (6)
- Pavlos Serifis: 8 years (10)
 - Alexandros Giotopoulos: 8 years (10)

On the basic felony charge of possession of arms:
- Dimitris Koufodinas: 15 years
- Savvas Xiros: 15 years
- Alexandros Giotopoulos: 15 years

On the basic felony charge of procurement and possession of arms and explosives:
- Dimitri Koufodinas: 15 years
- Savvas Xiros: 15 years
- Christodoulos Xiros: 12 years
- Vassilis Tzortzatos: 12 years
- Vassilis Xiros: 5 years
- Costas Karatsolis: 10 years
- Iraklis Kostaris: 12 years
- Thomas Serifis: 6 years
- Alexandros Giotopoulos: 15 years

   The sentences passed down on the convicted defendants for the murders and other felony crimes carried out by 'November 17':

* For the attempted murder of US air force officer Robert Chad in 1984 (the perpetrator of which is believed to be the late Hyannis Scandalise): Dimitri Koufodinas: 12 years; Christodoulos Xiros: 15 years; Alexandros Giotopoulos: 15 years

* For the murder of police guard Christ’s Mates in the 1984 National Bank robbery in Kato Petaluma: life for Dimitri Koufodinas, Christodoulos Xiros, and Alexandros Giotopoulos; 11 years for Patrols Selenites.

* For the murders of 'Apogevmatini' publisher Nikos Momferatos and his driver Panayotis Rousetis in 1985: twice life for Dimitri Koufodinas, Christodoulos Xiros, Vassilis Tzortzatos and Alexandros Giotopoulos; 2x11 years for Patroklos Tselentis.

* For the murder of industrialist Dimitri Angelopoulos in 1986: life for Christodoulos Xiros (as perpetrator) and Alexandros Giotopoulos (as moral instigator); 15 years each for Dimitri Koufodinas and Vassilis Tzortzatos; 11 years for Patroklos Tselentis.

* For the explosion of a makeshift bomb targetting an air force bus carrying US officers in 1987 in Rentis, injuring 13 of 23 people on the bus:
   - Dimitri Koufodinas, Savvas Xiros and Vassilis Tzortzatos: 23x12 years for 23 counts of attempted murder.
   - Christodoulos Xiros and Alexandros Giotopoulos: 23x15 years for attempted murder.
   - Patroklos Tselentis: 23x11 years for attempted murder.

* For the murder of industrialist Alexandros Athanasiadis-Bodosakis in 1988: life for Dimitri Koufodinas, Vassilis Tzortzatos and Alexandros Giotopoulos.

* For the murder of US embassy military attache William Nordeen in 1988:
- Dimitri Koufodinas, Savvas Xiros and Vassilis Tzortzatos: 8 years for the explosion (from the bomb blast) + 15 years for simple complicity in the murder.
- Christodoulos Xiros: life for the murder + 8 years for the explosion.
- Patroklos Tselentis: 11 years for the murder + 4 yrs for the explosion.
- Alexandros Giotopoulos: life for the murder + 15 years for the explosion.

* For the murder (fatal shooting) of prosecutor Costas Androulidakis in 1989: life for Dimitri Koufodinas, Vassilis Tzortzatos and Alexandros Giotopoulos; 11 years for Costas Telios.

* For the attempted murder of Supreme Court prosecutor Panayiotis Tarasouleas (shot and wounded in the legs) in 1989: 15 years each for Savvas Xiros and Alexandros Giotopoulos; 12 years for Dimitri Koufodinas.

* For the attempted murder of former public order minister George Petsos and two of his police bodyguards (their car was blown up)in 1989 (counting as three attempted murders):
- Dimitri Koufodinas: 8 years for the explosion + 3x12 years for the attempted murders.
- Savvas Xiros and Alexandros Giotopoulos: 15 years for the explosion + 3x15 yrs for the attempted murders.

* For the murder of main opposition New Democracy MP and party spokesman Pavlos Bakoyannis (husband of current Athens mayor Dora Bakoyanni) in 1989: life for Dimitri Koufodinas, Iraklis Kostaris and Alexandros Giotopoulos; 15 years each for Savvas Xiros and Vassilis Tzortzatos.

* For the attempted murder of businessman Vardis Vardinoyannis and three of his bodyguards (booby-trapped car) in 1990 (counting as three counts of attempted murder against the bodyguards):
- Dimitri Koufodinas: 8 yrs for the explosion + 3x12 years for attempted murder.
- Savvas and Christodoulos Xiros: 15 yrs for the explosion + 3x15 yrs for attempted murder.
- Vassilis Tzortzatos: 8 yrs for the explosion + 3x12 years for attempted murder.
- Alexandros Giotopoulos: 15 years for the explosion + 3x15 years for attempted murder.

* For the murder of US sergeant Ronald Stewart in 1991:
- Dimitri Koufodinas: 8 yrs for the explosion + 15 years for murder.
- Savvas Xiros: 15 yrs for the explosion + life for murder.
 - Christodoulos Xiros, Iraklis Kostaris : 8 yrs for the explosion + 15 yrs for murder.
- Alexandros Giotopoulos: 15 yrs. for the explosion + life for murder.
 
* For the attempted murder of Turkish embassy charge d'affaires Deniz Bulukbasi in 1991:
   - Dimitri Koufodinas: 12 years for complicity in explosion + 3x15 years for three counts of attempted murder.
   - Savvas Xiros: 18 years for perpetrator of the explosion + 3x18 years for three counts of attempted murder.
   - Vassilis Tzortzatos: 12 years for the explosion + 3x15 years for three counts of attempted murder.
   - Alexandros Giotopoulos: as moral instigator, 18 years for the explosion + 3x18 years for three counts of attempted murder.
 * For the murder of Turkish embassy assistant press attache Gyorgu Cetin in 1991: life for Dimitri Koufodinas (as perpetrator); 15 years for Savvas Xiros (as accomplice); life for Alexandros Giotopoulos (as moral instigator).

* For the rocket and hand grenade attack against a bus of the MAT riot police in 1991, in which a policeman was fatally wounded and another 11 policemen were injured:
   - Dimitri Koufodinas: 8 years for simple complicity in the explosion + 15 years for the death of the policeman + 11x12 years for 11 counts of attempted murder.
   - Savvas Xiros, as perpetrator: 15 years for the explosion + life for the policeman's murder + 11x15 years for 11 counts of attempted murder.
   - Christodoulos Xiros, as accomplice: 15 years for the explosion + life for the murder + 11x15 years for attempted murder.
   - Vassilis Tzortzatos, for simple complicity: 8 years for the explosion + 15 years for the murder + 11x12 years for attempted murder.
   - Alexandros Giotopoulos, as moral instigator: 15 years for the explosion + life for the murder + 11x15 years for attempted murder.

* For the exchange of fire with police in Sepolia, in which 5 policemen were injured:
   - Dimitri Koufodinas, for simple complicity: 5x12 years for five counts of attempted murder + 8 years for the explosion (caused by a hand grenade) + 4 years for attempted grand larceny.
   - Savvas Xiros, as perpetrator: 5x15 years for attempted murder + 15 years for the explosion + 5 years for attempted grand larceny.
   - Christodoulos Xiros: 8 years for simple complicity in the explosion + 4x12 years for simple complicity in attempted murder + 4 years for attempted grand larceny.
   - Sotiris Kondylis: 3x11 years for simple complicity on three counts of attempted murder against police officers + 2 years for attempted grand larceny.

* For the explosion at VIOHALKO industry in 1991, in which one person was injured:
   - Dimitri Koufodinas, Savvas Xiros: 8 years for simple complicity in the explosion + 12 years for attempted murder.
   - Christodoulos Xiros, as perpetrator: 15 years for the explosion + 15 years for attempted murder.
   - Alexandros Giotopoulos, as moral instigator: 15 years for the explosion + 15 years for attempted murder.
  
* For the attempted murder of then finance minister Yannis Paleokrassas in 1992, in which teenage pedestrian Thanos Axarlian was killed and eight persons were injured:
   - Dimitri Koufodinas, as perpetrator: life for the explosion + life for murder + 8x15 years for 8 counts of attempted murder.
   - Savvas Xiros, for simple complicity: 15 for the explosion + 15 years for murder + 8x12 years for attempted murder.
   - Christodoulos Xiros, as accomplice: life for the explosion + life for murder + 8x15 years for attempted murder.
   - Vassilis Tzortzatos, for simple complicity: 15 years for the explosion + 15 years for murder + 8x12 years for attempted murder.
   - Costas Telios, for simple complicity: 10 years for the explosion + 11 years for murder + 8x11 years for attempted murder.
   - Alexandros Giotopoulos, as moral instigator: life for the explosion + life for murder + 8x15 years for attempted murder.

* For the attempted murder of former MP (New Democracy) Lefteris Papadimitriou in 1992:
  - Dimitri Koufodinas, Savvas Xiros, Vassilis Tzortzatos and Alexandros Giotopoulos: 15 years.

* For the murder of former National Bank of Greece governor Michalis Vranopoulos and injury of his driver in 1994:
   - Dimitri Koufodinas: life for murder + 15 years for attempted murder.
   - Savvas Xiros: 15 years for murder + 12 years for attempted murder
   - Alexandros Giotopoulos: life for murder + 15 years for attempted murder (as moral instigator).

* For the murder of Turkish embassy diplomat Omer Haluk Sipahioglu in 1994:
   - Dimitri Koufodinas: 15 years as simple accessory.
   - Savvas Xiros: life as perpetrator.
   - Sotiris Kondylis: 12 years as simple accessory, with mitigating circumstances.
   - Alexandros Giotopoulos: life as moral instigator.

* For the murder of shipowner and former shareholder and director of Elefsis Shipyards, Costis Peraticos, in 1997:
   - Dimitri Koufodinas: 15 years for simple complicity in murder.
   - Savvas Xiros: life as perpetrator for murder.
    - Vassilis Xiros: 15 years as simple accessory to murder.
   - Alexandros Giotopoulos: life as moral instigator to murder.

* For the murder of British embassy military attache Stephen Saunders in 2000:
  - Dimitri Koufodinas, as co-perpetrator: life for murder + 4 years for illegal possession and use of arms.
   - Savvas Xiros, as co-perpetrator: life for murder + 4 years for illegal possession and use of arms.
   - Vassilis Xiros, for simple complicity: 15 years for murder + 3 years for illegal possession of arms.
   - Alexandros Giotopoulos, for moral instigation: life for murder.

* For the rocket attack against the US embassy in Athens in 1996:
   - Dimitri Koufodinas: 8 years as simple accessory in the explosion.
   - Savvas Xiros: 15 years as perpetrator for the explosion.
   - Vassilis Xiros: 6 years for simple complicity.
   - Sotiris Kondylis: 5 years for simple complicity.
   - Alexandros Giotopoulos: 15 years for moral instigation.

* For the rocket attack against the residence of German ambassador in Athens Karl-Heinz Albert Kunha in 1999 in which 2 people were injured:
   - Dimitri Koufodinas: 8 years for the explosion + 2x12 years for two counts of attempted murder, as simple accessory.
   - Savvas Xiros: 15 years for the explosion + 2x15 years for attempted murder.
   - Vassilis Xiros: 6 years for the explosion + 2x12 years for attempted murder.
   - Alexandros Giotopoulos: 15 years for the explosion + 2x15 years for attempted murder.

The court further passed down severe sentences for a series of other bomb attacks and robberies. 
    

   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.

   The court proceedings were presided over by Appeals judges president Michalis Margaritis, 64, who joined the judicial corps in 1972 after receiving a degree from the Athens Law School and post-graduate studies specializing in European Law in London. The other justices sitting on the bench were appeals judges Nikolaos Zairis, 57, and Vassilis Kourkakis, 63. The prosecutor representing the State was 64-year-old appeals judge Christos Lambrou, a veteran to the judicial corps which he joined in 1969.

   Prosecution witnesses numbered more than 350, among them 40 foreign nationals. Defence lawyers numbered 150, while the accused faced charges for an overall total of some 2,000 crimes.

Source: Athens News Agency

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