Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-03-30

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Hijacker of Turkish passenger jet to face magistrate on Mon.

[02] Arab League's Amr Moussa in Athens on Monday

[03] EU Justice ministers conclude informal summit in Veroia, Greece

[04] Greek ministers attend celebrations of Greek Independence Day in New

[05] Weather Monday - Mostly sunny

[01] Hijacker of Turkish passenger jet to face magistrate on Mon.

The young hijacker of a Turkish Airlines plane, who briefly sent shivers throughout an already tense region late Friday when he forced the aircraft to land in Athens by claiming he was carrying a bomb, is expected to appear before a local magistrate on Monday.

The hijackers claim of a bomb proved baseless after Greek police apprehended him at around 3 a.m. He had earlier agreed to free the planes occupants in what, by all accounts, was an amateurish spur-of-the-moment attempt to allegedly divert the plane to Germany, according to local media reports. Other reports claim the lone suspect has previously been treated for mental illness.

Nevertheless, the 20-year-old Turkish national was formally charged with two felonies on Saturday in connection with the hijacking of the Turkish Airlines (TK160) airplane. The aircraft was carrying 194 passengers and a nine-member crew on a domestic flight from Istanbul to Ankara. The Airbus130 made the unscheduled landing at Athens' Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport just after midnight on Friday, sparking a mobilisation of Greeces anti-terrorism squad and late-night worries in both Athens and Ankara that the incident was a terrorist action. Two Hellenic Air Force fighter jets, in fact, escorted the plane as it entered Greek airspace over the eastern Aegean and throughout its entire flight towards the Greek capital.

According to court records, the suspect -- identified as Ozgur Gencaslan -- requested a customary 48-hour stay in order to prepare his defence.

The Turkish government, meanwhile, has requested Gencaslans extradition.

[02] Arab League's Amr Moussa in Athens on Monday

Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, the current president of the EU Council of Ministers, will receive visiting Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa here on Monday at the foreign ministry.

Statements to the press will follow, a foreign ministry press release noted on Sunday.

[03] EU Justice ministers conclude informal summit in Veroia, Greece

The meetings of the second day of the informal European Union council of justice and interior ministers continued on Saturday, focusing on issues of justice.

Greek Justice Minister Philippos Petsalnikos held a joint press conference with European Union Commissioner Antonio Vitorino at the conclusion of the council's meetings.

Petsalnikos noted that the council dealt with issues concerning judicial guarantees for suspects and the accused in criminal proceedings, as well as the conference for the future of Europe in relation to the judicial cooperation in Europe.

The Greek minister, who presided over the specific meetings in the northcentral Greek town of Veroia, spoke of the Green Bible that includes the right of judicial assistance and representation of the suspects and the accused, the participation of translators, the protection of vulnerable population groups and the reading to the accused of his/her rights.

He added that they also discussed issues concerning double jeopardy and the release on terms (bonds etc).

The ministers also focused on issues concerning the actions of new institutions such as Eurojust and Europol and ways to control their actions via institutional guarantees, in order to secure the rights of citizens.

[04] Greek ministers attend celebrations of Greek Independence Day in New York

NEW YORK (ANA - P. Panagiotou) - The Greek-American community celebrated on Sunday the March 25th Greek Independence Day here, with a doxology at the Agia Triada church of the city of New York officiated by Archbishop of America Dimitrios.

Defense Minister Yiannos Papantoniou, Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Magriotis and a delegation of Greek deputies along with the ambassadors and general consuls of Greece and Cyprus attended the doxology and were to represent the Greek government in the grand parade on 5th Avenue.

Later in the day, following the parade they would attend the banquet organized, as every other year, by the New York City leadership here in honor of the Greek community.

[05] Weather Monday - Mostly sunny

Mostly sunny weather is forecast throughout Greece on Monday, with cloudiness increasing the northwest towards the evening. Localised morning fog possible. Easterly to southeasterly winds, weak to moderate, gusty on the seas. Temperatures 3C to 21C on the mainland, 7C to 19C on the islands.

Sunny in Athens, 7C to 20C. The same for Thessaloniki, 5C to 18C.

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