Defense Scandal in Greece Is Widened Furloughed Terrorist In
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S o C V ΓΡΑΦΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ Bringing the news W ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ to generations of E ΑΠΟ ΤΟ 1915 The National Herald Greek- Americans N c v A weekly Greek-AmeriCAn PuBliCAtion www.thenationalherald.com VOL. 17, ISSUE 848 January 11-17, 2014 $1.50 Defense Furloughed Terrorist Scandal in In Greece Flees, US Greece is Expresses Concern Widened By Andy Dabilis gether on terrorism, although TNH Staff Writer U.S. officials privately refer to the Greek security network as a Allegations ATHENS – Following the failure “sieve” because it is so porous of a second convicted terrorist and inadequate. Top Brass in six months – this one from Xeros was let go after a fur - Were Bribed the notorious killer group No - lough board determined he was vember 17 – to return from a not dangerous – although an furlough, the Greek government avowed terrorist with murder TNH Staff said it is moving to clamp down on his record – and was not a on the program that lets prison - flight risk. ATHENS – A widening Defense ers go free on the promise they’ll In the summer of 2012, an - Ministry scandal has led the come back. other convicted terrorist, Nikos Greek government to promise That came in the wake of a Maziotis, also walked away changes to the way contracts are frantic manhunt for Christodou - from a furlough and is now be - let and shocked the Armed Ser - los Xeros, 55, that didn’t begin lieved to be behind the Dec. 30, vices with accusations that two until two days after he failed to 2102 gunfire assault on the former chiefs of staff, of the check in at a police station in Athens home of Germany’s Am - Army and Navy, took bribes as northern Greece on Jan. 6 as a bassador to Greece Wolfgang well. condition of his release on a Dold. A former representative of a nine-day holiday leave. Despite Maziotis’ escape, the German defense systems firm Xeros is serving six life sen - board also let Xeros out with no testified that at least 10 mem - tences for his role in the assas - guarantee he would return. bers of the Armed Forces had sination of six people, including There was no explanation for their hands out asking for five Americans stationed over his release and no reaction from money and received payoffs, me - the years at the U.S. Embassy the officials who granted it dia reports said. AP Photo/thAnAssis stAvrAkis, File in Athens. about his failure to return. The suspect, 83-year-old In this Friday, Dec. 2, 2005 file photo Christodoulos Xiros, a member of November 17 terrorist His escape prompted a wor - According to Mega television Panayiotis Efstathiou, was taken group, sits, during a break in the appeals trial of members of Greece's deadly terrorist group at ried response from the U.S. channel, speaking to the net - into custody after 12 hours of a special court in a top-security Athens jail. Greek authorities say police are seeking the State Department, which urged work’s U.S.-based Michalis Ig - testimony before investigating convicted member of the deadly November 17 terrorist organization who broke the terms of a Greece to recapture him and magistrates Gavriil Mallis and prison furlough. He failed to make an obligatory daily appearance Monday, Jan. 6, 2014. said the two countries work to - Continued on page 11 Yiannis Stavropoulos. Efstathiou, who used to rep - resent the German firm Atlas, said the officers took the bribes from the company and that they Warm Spirit in Tarpon Dive for Cross included top brass and a former head of a Greek defense systems manufacturer, unnamed sources By Stavros Marmarinos Many transplanted Floridi - of St. Barbara. told the newspaper Kathimerini. TNH Staff Writer ans, originally from Upstate “It was a blessed day for me Other reports said Efstathiou New York and New England, say and now I will have God’s spe - allegedly named deceased for - TARPON SPRINGS, FL – The that when it hits 30 in Florida, cial blessing,” for the year Smith mer Chief of the Hellenic Navy thousands who gathered at the it feels worse than when it is 10 said. “I dived from the cross last General Staff, Giorgos Theodor - Spring Bayou of the Florida’s degrees back home. year too, but I accomplished it oulakis, and former Chief of the heavily-Greek populated City of Those who braved the this year and I thank God,” he Hellenic Army General Staff, Tarpon Springs for the 108th weather and attended live were said. Kostas Panayiotakis, as the bribe- annual blessing of the waters inspired and felt blessed. Al - The water was a Florida- takers. There was no reported wore winter clothing this year, though there were visibly less brisk 62 degrees and attracted response to the allegations. but their spirit was not damp - people than usual at the Bayou, 43 boys between the ages of 16 A lawyer representing Efs - ened by the weather. the Cathedral of St. Nicholas and 18, who stood on 10 boats tathiou said graft was “an un - The town expected the usual was jammed with people. arranged in a semicircle in the fortunate and appalling reality” 20-30,000 attendees, but the Po - “I have lived in Florida for Bayou. in Greek military procurements. lar Vortex that has put much of 27 years and it has never been Speaking to reporters after - “The majority of Greek offi - America into a deep freeze this cold, with cloudy skies and wards, Smith said he stood on cers in the armed forces carry prompted many to mark the continuous rain,” Tampa resi - the leftmost boat as seen from out their duties conscientiously,” Feast of the Epiphany indoors. dent Mariza Hiotaki told TNH. the reviewing stand. “The wind AP Photo/thAnAssis stAvrAkis he said. “Unfortunately, how - Many in the Northern states Nevertheless, Archbishop was blowing hard right to left, Patriarch at Ceremony of Greece's EU Presidency ever, a minority of Greek officers might think that temperatures Demetrios blessed the seas by so I wanted to be there, with seeks and demand bribes for in the 20s and 30s are not so tossing the Holy Cross into the the hope the cross would be car - Greece's Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos (R), welcomes weapons programs to be imple - unbearable, but when Florida small bay, and it was caught ried there.” Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew during their meeting in mented.” gets that cold – albeit rarely – it within 15 seconds by 18 year- As soon as the Archbishop Athens on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2014. Bartholomew attended the Efstathiou has refused to re - is a particularly stinging cold for old Peter Sotirios Smith from El - tossed the cross into the water, ceremony of Greece's rotating presidency as European Union veal whether any politicians coastal towns like Tarpon lenton, FL which is near Sara - leaders praised Greece's efforts to fix its crisis-hit economy were involved in the scheme to Springs. sota and is home to the Church Continued on page 4 Wednesday (related story on page 13). steal from defense contracts. He also reportedly named three German nationals with ties to Atlas who allegedly provided him with cash to bribe Greek of - Greek-Americans’ Advice, Wishes, to de Blasio Pavlos, GOC ficials. Efstathiou also allegedly ad - mitted setting up three offshore By Constantine S. Sirigos of perceptions that City Hall many mayors, TNH spoke to come groups, the money should Metropolitan, companies, one to launder bribe TNH Staff Writer only cared for the rich and pow - Greek-Americans about their come from cutting back the ed - money and the other two for his erful, they want de Blasio to act hopes, expectations, and con - ucation bureaucracy, he said. own purposes. The first firm was NEW YORK – Some say that on his more progressive agenda, cerns. Catsimatidis is certain that at Steps Down used to channel a total of 1.5 mayor of New York may be the but they also want results. John Catsimatidis, who was some point he will address the million euros in bribes to armed second-most important office in One of the groups that felt a candidate for mayor in 2013, problems of small businesses forces officials, according to Ef - the United States, after the pres - Republican mayors let them has known de Blasio for more and “I urge him to have heart By Theodore Kalmoukos stathiou’s testimony. ident. Bill de Blasio was elected down is the owners of small than 20 years. “He is a very regarding the plight of small TNH Staff mayor in November in a land - business, who are the backbone smart guy and I hope he makes business people.” Continued on page 11 slide but has his work cut out of both the Greek-American and common sense decisions for all Regarding the union con - ASTORIA – Metropolitan Pavlos for him, being responsible for a the wider community. New Yorkers,” he said. He noted tracts, Catsimatidis, who has primate of the Genuine Ortho - $70 billion budget and facing Numerous community mem - that his selection of Bill Bratton successful run businesses in nu - dox Metropolis of America, many challenges – the need to bers said they would like to see as police commissioner is a pos - merous industries and is a vet - based in Astoria, has resigned negotiate 150 municipal union a de Blasio host a forum where itive step. eran of many labor negotiations, for health reasons. Dispute over contracts not least among them. the concerns and needs of busi - He also believes in the im - advised de Blasio: “be tough, He suffered a severe stroke He is also the first Democrat ness owners can be addressed portance of de Blasio’s universal but be fair.” eight years ago, which left his to reign at City Hall in 20 years early in his administration.