US embassy cable - 88ATHENS4106

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ATHENS 04106 
 
S/CT FOR WHARTON 
 
E.O. 12356:  N/A 
TAGS:  PTER, GR, KPRP 
SUBJECT:  GREECE:  1987 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REFS: (A) STATE 42378; (B) STATE 54439; 
-     (C) STATE 54781; (D) 87 ATHENS 4694 
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1.  GREECE. 
 
2.  DURING 1987 GREECE CONTINUED TO BE THE SCENE 
OF TERRORIST INCIDENTS, SPONSORED BOTH BY DOMESTIC 
AND FOREIGN GROUPS.  TWO ATTACKS WERE DIRECTED 
SPECIFICALLY AGAINST AMERICANS.  THE EXTREME-LEFT 
GREEK "NOVEMBER 17TH" TERRORIST ORGANIZATION 
(ACTIVE SINCE 1975 AND RESPONSIBLE FOR THE 
PREVIOUS KILLINGS OF TWO U.S. OFFICIALS) CLAIMED 
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BOMBINGS ON APRIL 24 AND 
AUGUST 10 OF BUSSES TRANSPORTING U.S. MILITARY 
PERSONNEL IN THE ATHENS AREA.  IN BOTH CASES 
AMERICANS WERE INJURED, BUT FORTUNATELY THERE WERE 
NO FATALITIES.  THERE HAVE BEEN NO ARRESTS IN 
CONNECTION WITH THESE ATTACKS. 
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3.  SYMPTOMATIC OF THE NATURE OF THE TERRORIST 
PROBLEM IN GREECE WERE THE KILLING OF A KUWAITI 
BUSINESSMAN JANUARY 7 BY UNKNOWN BUT PROBABLY 
MIDDLE EASTERN ASSAILANTS, THE SHOOTING WITH 
INTENT TO INJURE SERIOUSLY OF A PROMINENT GREEK 
NEUROSURGEON BY THE "NOVEMBER 17TH" ORGANIZATIOM 
FEBRUARY 4, THE SHOOTING AND SERIOUS WOUNDING OF 
THE PRESIDENT OF THE GREEK CONFEDERATION OF 
WORKERS ON JUNE 24, THE SHOOTING WITH OBVIOUS 
INTENT TO KILL OF AN ARAB LEAGUE DEPUTY ON 
DECEMBER 21 (ALSO BY PROBABLE MIDDLE EASTERN 
ASSAILANTS), AND A NUMBER OF BOMBINGS WITHOUT 
APPARENT INTENT TO ENDANGER LIFE BY THE 
"REVOLUTIONARY PEOPLES' STRUGGLE" ORGANIZATION 
("ELA"), INCLUDING A BOMB ATTACK SEPTEMBER 27 AT 
THE U.S. MILITARY COMMISSARY IN CENTRAL ATHENS. 
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4.  OFFICIAL EFFORTS NOTWITHSTANDING, THE 
CONTINUANCE OF TERRORIST ACTIVITY ON GREEK SOIL 
DURING 1987 HAS NOT BEEN MATCHED BY SIGNIFICANT 
SUCCESSES IN POLICE COUNTER-TERRORIST EFFORTS. 
THE MOST STRIKING SUCCESS ENJOYED BY THE 
AUTHORITIES DURING THE YEAR WAS A VIOLENT 
ENCOUNTER WITH A SMALL GROUP OF TERRORISTS ON 
OCTOBER 1 WHICH RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF ONE AND 
THE ARREST OF TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN 
REPORTED TO HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH THE "ANTI-STATE 
STRUGGLE" GROUP.  HOWEVER, DESPITE ACTIVE POLICE 
INVESTIGATIONS IN THE AFTERMATH OF THIS EVENT, NO 
FURTHER ARRESTS HAVE YET TAKEN PLACE. 
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5.  ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, GREEK AUTHORITIES 
CONTINUED DURING 1987 THE EFFORTS THEY HAD 
INITIATED EARLIER TO IMPROVE SECURITY AT AIR AND 
SEA PORTS OF ENTRY (PARTICULARLY IN THE 
ATHENS-PIRAEUS AREA), TO IMPROVE SURVEILLANCE OF 
SUSPECTED FOREIGN TERRORISTS, TO ENHANCE THE 
TRAINING AND CAPABILITIES OF POLICE FORCES 
DEDICATED TO FIGHTING TERRORISM AND TO IMPROVE 
COORDINATION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATIONS IN 
OTHER COUNTRIES.  PROGRESS IN THESE AREAS HAS BEEN 
COMMENDABLE, ALTHOUGH THERE REMAINS COMSIDERABLE 
ROOM FOR FURTHER IMPROVEMENT.  THE GREEK 
GOVERNMENT HAS GENERALLY BEEN RESPONSIVE TO U.S. 
GOVERNMENT REQUESTS FOR PROTECTIVE SECURITY FOR 
ITS PERSONNEL AND FACILITIES LOCATED IN GREECE. 
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6.  THE GREEK GOVERNMENT MAINTAINS AN AMBIVALENT 
ATTITUDE TOWARD STATE-SPONSORED TERRORISM AS AN 
INTERNATIONAL POLICY PROBLEM.  GREECE REMAINS THE 
ONLY MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY WHICH DOES 
NOT CONDEMN STATES WHICH SPONSOR INTERNATIONAL 
TERRORISM.  IT CONTINUES TO IMPOSE REQUIREMENTS 
FOR "PROOF" OF STATE COMPLICITY AND TO INTRODUCE 
SO-CALLED "NATIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES" INTO ITS 
DECISIONS ON TERRORIST EVENTS WHICH VIRTUALLY 
PRECLUDE EITHER ANY CONDEMNATION OF THOSE 
RESPONSIBLE OR ANY ACTION LIKELY TO DISCOURAGE 
FURTHER SUCH ACTIVITIES.  GREEK RELUCTANCE TO TAKE 
A MORE ACTIVE POSITION AGAINST STATE-SPONSORED 
TERRORISM IS BASED ON A POLICY WHICH APPARENTLY 
DEFINES SOME TERRORIST ORGANIZATIOMS AS 
"JUSTIFIABLE LIBERATION MOVEMENTS". 
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7.  DURING THE PERIOD JUNE-AUGUST 1987 THE UNITED 
STATES GOVERNMENT CONDUCTED A DIALOGUE WITH THE 
GREEK GOVERNMENT ABOUT ITS CONCERNS RELATING TO 
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AND SPECIFICALLY TO 
REPORTS OF CONTACTS BETWEEN GREEK OFFICIALS AND 
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ABU NIDAL TERRORIST 
ORGANIZATION (WHICH WERE PUBLICLY AND VEHEMENTLY 
DENIED BY THE GREEK GOVERNMENT).  THIS DIALOGUE, 
WHILE CONFIDENTIAL, SERVED TO ENHANCE THE 
AWARENESS OF GREEK AUTHORITIES TO THE DEPTH OF 
AMERICAN CONCERN ABOUT TERRORIST ISSUES. 
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8.  GREECE RECOGNIZES THE PALESTINE LIBERATION 
ORGANIZATION WHICH MAINTAINS AN ACCREDITED 
DIPLOMATIC MISSION IN ATHENS.  WHILE THE PLO HAS 
ENJOYED CONSIDERABLE RHETORICAL SUPPORT IN GREECE 
(FROM ALL MAJOR POLITICAL FACTIONS), THERE IS NO 
EVIDENCE THAT THE GREEK GOVERNMENT HAS ASSISTED 
THE PLO OR ANY OF ITS CONSTITUENT ELEMENTS IN THE 
CONDUCT OF TERRORIST ACTIVITIES.  THERE IS ALSO NO 
EVIDENCE THAT GREECE HAS EXTENDED SUPPORT TO ANY 
OTHER ORGANIZATION INVOLVED IN TERRORIST 
ACTIVITIES. 
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9.  THERE WERE NO JUDICIAL RESPONSES TO TERRORIST 
CASES INVOLVING AMERICANS IN GREECE DURING 1987, 
LARGELY BECAUSE THERE WERE NO ARRESTS OF 
PERPETRATORS DURING THE YEAR.  ON OCTOBER 6 AN 
IMPRISONED MEMBER OF THE "ARMEMIAN SECRET APMY FOR 
THE LIBERATION OF ARMENIA" ("ASALA"), VAHE 
KHODAVERDIAN, WAS RELEASED FROM GREEK PRISON AND 
DEPORTED.  HE HAD BEEN SERVING A TEN YEAR 
SENTENCE, WHICH HE SUCCESSFULLY APPEALED WITH A 
CONSEQUENT REDUCTION TO A TERM OF TWO YEARS WHICH 
AMOUNTED TO TIME SERVED. 
 
10.  THE UNITED STATES MAINTAINS AN ACTIVE 
OFFICIAL DIALOGUE WITH GREEK AUTHORITIES ON ALL 
ASPECTS OF TERRORIST-RELATED ISSUES AND IT SEEKS 
TO ASSIST THE GREEK GOVERNMENT WHERE APPROPRIATE 
IN ITS COUNTER-TERRORIST EFFORTS. 
 
KEELEY