Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-08-09

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From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.

CONTENTS

[01] PROBLEMS WITH MILLER'S STATEMENTS ON N17

[02] HARSH PENALTIES FOR KOS SECURITY NEGLIGENCE

[03] MORE GOLD MEDALS FOR GREECE

[04] KOS CAMP QUARANTINE LIFTED

[05] COUNTERFEIT EURO IN VOLOS

[01] PROBLEMS WITH MILLER'S STATEMENTS ON N17

US Ambassador Miller's intervention in Justice and the November 17 investigations was not looked upon in the best of lights.

T. Miller has a right to his opinions. The Greek government has said, through the Prime Minister himself, that the investigation will continue in depth and reach the very last guilty party. That is what will happen, stated deputy Minister of the Press Tilemachos Chytiris during a radio interview, commenting on Mr. Miller's interview to the Eleftherotypia newspaper.

However he recognized the US Ambassador's right to talk about terrorism in Greece, which is derived from the fact that many of the victims were Americans. From there on, underlined Mr. Chytiris, procedures, Greek laws, and the Greek Constitution will be observed to the letter as far as terrorism and the individuals awaiting trial in Corydallos are concerned, according to our standards, our laws.

Meanwhile, investigations and research are continuing, with the completion of the ballistics report on the weapons found in two of the organization's weapon caches in Athens. Its results show that apart from the historic 45mm handgun, the two 38mm used against New Democracy MP Lefteris Papadimitriou and Dr. Zacharias Kapsalakis, have also not been found.

At the same time, the authorities are chasing a ghost after finding a unique fingerprint in both the Damareos st. hideout and Al. Giotopoulos house in Lipsi. This is the only fingerprint not yet identified. According to the information gathered by the counter terrorism service, this print belongs to an individual that is possibly high in the organization's ranks, as he had access to the hideout and relations to the suspected leader of the organization. This individual is quite possibly unknown to the rest of the organization's members.

Further information uncovered by the investigations are new code names found in the organization's account books. These codes are Giannis, Sakis, Il., Paul, and D.M., according to an Eleftherotypia publication. The counter terrorism service claims to know four of the five individuals, but has not moved to arrest them, because it does not yet have solid evidence against them.

Despite the positive results, the authorities have still not found Dimitris Koufontinas, the most wanted man in Greece. The Greek Police HQ appealed to Greek citizens once more to call in any information they may have on the special hotlines, 170 and 1964. Dimitris Koufontinas is suspected to be hiding out in the house of old comrades or other terrorist group members.

[02] HARSH PENALTIES FOR KOS SECURITY NEGLIGENCE

Harsh penalties were administered by the GES on the military personnel responsible for the negligence in the guarding of the Kos military camp from which weapons were recently stolen.

Minister of National Defense Giannos Papantoniou proposed that procedures be initiated for the discharging the lieutenant colonel, Commander of the 544 Battalion of the National Guard, while he has already been sentenced to 60 days in the brig.

The Brigadier, military commander of Kos, was sentenced to 20 days and removed from the command of the island, while procedures for his replacement are in motion.

30 days are the penalty for the Sergeant, officer on duty, while the cadet in charge of patrols was sentenced to 10 days.

Finally, sentences of 20 and 15 days were administered to the Commander of the 80th LATETh and the Commander of the 282nd National Guard Battalion.

[03] MORE GOLD MEDALS FOR GREECE

Another gold medal was conquered for Greece in the European Athletics Championship in Munich by Mirela Maniani, who won the gold medal in the javelin throw with 67,47 meters, and brought Greece its third gold in the events, putting it in second place in medals (three gold and two silver).

Mirela Maniani's success was commented on by the President of New Democracy Kostas Karamanlis. Mirela Maniani has gotten us accustomed to great successes. The gold medal she won proved that with will, persistence and hard work the goal is achievable, stated Mr. Karamanlis, and wishing the athlete to continue her successful course and to bring Greece more successes.

Olympic champion Kostas Kenteris has also set course for a gold in the 200 meters, while he passed the preliminary round with characteristic ease (20.55 and 20.29).

[04] KOS CAMP QUARANTINE LIFTED

The "quarantine" was lifted from the Kos military camp from which arms were stolen and the R&R schedule for soldiers and officers was put back on track yesterday.

[05] COUNTERFEIT EURO IN VOLOS

Three counterfeit 50 euro notes were found in two banks in Volos. The counterfeit euro were identified by the machines used to count the notes. The authorities are investigating.

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