Far-left terror suspects held pending trial in Athens

By Tony Rigopoulos

ATHENS

Nine suspected members of Turkey’s far-left Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) appeared in court in Athens on Monday, when they were denied bail.

The suspects, all Turkish nationals, will be held in prison until they face trial on charges of forming and participating in a terrorist organization, possession of explosives and weapons and “resistance against authority”.

The eight men and a woman were arrested last week. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to make a historic visit to Greece on Dec. 7-8 but it has not been claimed that the arrests were linked to the trip.

The DHKP-C, which is listed as a terror group by Turkey, the EU and U.S., has killed more than 80 civilians as well as dozens of police officers and soldiers since it was formed in 1978. The group has frequently targeted U.S. interests.

The defendants denied all the charges, the Athens-Macedonian News Agency reported. In written statements, they said that “solidarity with those who fight for their rights and freedom is not terrorism”.

They were named in court as Halil Demir, Burak Agarmis, Hassan Biber, Mehmet Dogan, Ali-Ekram Gokoglou, Halaz Secer, Sadi Naci Ozpolat, Anil Sayar and Ismail Zat.

Their lawyers said they had not been allowed sufficient communication with the defendants, who are being held under conditions for terror suspects, and complained of the “vague” charges.

Following their arrests at eight addresses in Athens, police said they had recovered a CZ handgun, detonators, chemicals that could be used as explosives, computers, USB sticks and mobile phones.

Police also said one defendants had been previously involved in a July 2013 attempt to smuggle guns from Turkey to the Greek island of Chios.

Local media reported that anti-terrorist officers were searching for a cache of weapons in mountains to the north of the Greek capital.