Suspected Greek Terrorists Go on Trial

Sitting behind bulletproof glass, 19 alleged members of Greece’s most deadly terrorist group went on trial Monday for an era of violence that spanned from 1970s Marxist revolution to current struggles against global commerce. The landmark proceedings against the once-impenetrable November 17 cell were seen as another major step by Greek authorities to redeem their reputations after being outwitted for 28 years. The group, which eluded police since its first attack in 1975, is blamed for more than 100 bombings, a string of armed robberies and 23 murders, including American, Turkish and British envoys. The suspects, including the alleged leader of the group, were led by armed guards into a special area ringed by panels of bulletproof glass in a bunker-like courtroom inside Greece’s largest maximum-security prison. Window blinds were drawn shut. More than 50 police officers stood watch. The judge asked each defendant to stand and acknowledge their name. The list is a curious cross-section of Greek society from laborers to a beekeeper to a French-born academic who is accused of being the group’s mastermind. Some of the defendants were expected to try to challenge the legitimacy of the court, presided over by a three-judge panel. The trial could take months. The witness list includes 333 people for the prosecution including 44 foreigners and 70 for the defense. Full Story