pre-trial court in Greece ABC-Amsterdam - 26.08.2008 21:02
Today two the anarchist comrades, whoare accused for their involvment in the kidnapping case in Greece, had their pre-trial court today. About 80 people showed up at the courthouse in Thessaloniki today in solidarity with Polikarpos and Vagelis. When they were brought inside through the back entrance people ran to there chased by lots of police. a little fight broke out, many slogans were shouted, some people were beaten, bottles and stones were trown at the cops and bourgeois press who are spreading lies of course for days already about the people arrested. Nobody got seriously injured or arrested. Most people did not manage to see the comrades due to aggression with the cops. For hours people waited for them to be brought out again, and went indeed to the back entrance when they were put in the van. The crowd got very close this time, again shouted many slogans, and this time saw their comrades very well; they raised their arms and smiled back. No fight broke out this time. Further details of the case: Today, Polikarpos and Vagelis were sent to the court, but declared ofcourse nothing. They said they will make a statement at the trial. Also the fourth man, Asimakis Lazarides, who was arrested on Crete was send there today, seperately from the two comrades. When he got arrested earlier, he already made a declaration to the police and it is clear that he was the one that gave the crucial info to the cops concerning the whereabouts and identity of the reast of the group. There was some expectations he would change his testimony in court today, but this did not happen. For the reason of this man being not only a bastard for spending the money on luxury cars, casino's and prostitutes, but mainly for being a snitch, the rest of the people have taken clear distance from him. The other four people are the family of Giorgos Haralabidis, another famous Greek bankrobber, serving a prisontime at the moment of 16 years for doing what he does; robbing banks. This friday he will go to pre-trial as well, for his accused role in the kidnapping. In the meantime his time in prison does not count for the sixteen years (of wich he has served 3, years now). His family is accused for playing a minor role in the kidnapping, and unfortunately, they have made statements to the police while being under 24 hours secret arrest. The psychological pressure was to much for them, and also they were obviously not very aware of the risks of this case. It is not clear if they will stay in prison for a long time. Yesterday Palaiokostas was send to prison of Korfu, Kerkyra, which is known to be one of the worst and brutal prisons and more difficult to escae from. Vagelis today was send to the prison of Domokos and Polikarpo was send to the prison of Loannina (Stavraki) wich is a prison with mostly long senteced people. For all of them counts that the pre-trial detention can take upto a maximum of 18 months, if there has not been a trial by then thy should be let out. It is of course in their case very unlikely that they will come out any time soon, at least Palaiokostas is going in for a very long time. Today the police announced to have also found a house in Peraia, where Palaiokostas had kept 3 million euro's and a big stash of guns. -Freedom lives when the state dies- E-Mail: abcamsterdam@squat.net Website: http://squat.net/abcamsterdam |