DATE=        03/30/99
TYPE=        EDITORIAL
NUMBER=      0-08244
TITLE=       EDITORIAL:  NOVEMBER 17TH TERRORIST GROUP

CONTENT=THIS IS THE ONLY EDITORIAL BEING RELEASED FOR BROADCAST 
03/30/99. 

ANNCR:
THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE 
VARIETY OF ISSUES.  NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

VOICE:

    THIS MONTH, BOMBS EXPLODED OUTSIDE TWO BRANCH OFFICES OF THE 
AMERICAN-OWNED CITIBANK CORPORATION NEAR ATHENS, GREECE.  NO ONE 
HAS CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY, BUT GREEK AUTHORITIES SUSPECT THE 
TERRORIST GROUP, NOVEMBER 17TH.  THIS GROUP CARRIED OUT A SIMILAR
ATTACK AGAINST CITIBANK LAST APRIL.

    THE GROUP TAKES ITS NAME FROM THE NOVEMBER 17TH, 1973, 
STUDENT UPRISING IN ATHENS AGAINST THE MILITARY REGIME THEN 
RULING GREECE.  BUT DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT WAS RESTORED IN 1974, 
AND THE NOVEMBER 17TH GROUP DID NOT CLAIM ITS FIRST VICTIM UNTIL 
1975.  CLEARLY, THE GROUP'S REAL GOAL IS TO UNDERMINE GREEK 
DEMOCRACY.  ANOTHER GOAL HAS BEEN TO DRIVE GREECE OUT OF THE NATO
ALLIANCE AND NATO BASES OUT OF GREECE.

    NOVEMBER 17TH HAS CARRIED OUT TERRORIST ATTACKS AGAINST 
PEOPLE FROM MANY NATIONS.  IT HAS MURDERED SEVERAL AMERICANS 
INCLUDING A DIPLOMAT AND TWO NAVAL OFFICERS. TURKISH DIPLOMATS 
HAVE BEEN SPECIAL TARGETS.  THEY INCLUDE THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF 
MISSION OF THE TURKISH EMBASSY IN ATHENS, ASSASSINATED IN 1994.  
BUT MOST OF THE VICTIMS HAVE BEEN GREEK.  LAST MAY, GREEK 
SHIPPING MAGNATE CONSTANTINE PERATIKOS WAS SHOT TO DEATH ON AN 
ATHENS STREET BY NOVEMBER 17TH GUNMEN.

    DURING THE PERSIAN GULF WAR, NOVEMBER 17TH AIDED IRAQI 
DICTATOR SADDAM HUSSEIN BY ATTACKING PERSONNEL OF THE 
INTERNATIONAL COALITION IN GREECE.  ONE OF THEIR MURDER VICTIMS 
WAS A U.S. AIR FORCE SERGEANT IN ATHENS.  AND SINCE 1990, THE 
GROUP HAS USED IMPROVISED ROCKETS TO BOMB EUROPEAN UNION 
FACILITIES AND FOREIGN FIRMS INVESTING IN GREECE.

    ARE THE TERRORISTS OF NOVEMBER 17TH ANY BETTER THAN THE 
FORMER JUNTA-LED GOVERNMENT THEY CLAIM TO DESPISE?  TYRANTS AND 
TERRORISTS ARE THE ETERNAL ENEMIES OF ALL DEMOCRACIES.  NO ONE 
KNOWS THIS BETTER THAN THE PEOPLE OF GREECE -- THE BIRTHPLACE OF 
DEMOCRATIC IDEALS AND INSTITUTIONS.

ANNCR:

    THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE U.S. 
GOVERNMENT.  IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT, PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS, 
V-O-A, WASHINGTON, D-C, 20547, U-S-A.  YOU MAY ALSO COMMENT AT 
WWW-DOT-VOA-DOT-GOV-SLASH-EDITORIALS, OR  FAX US AT (202) 
619-1043.  

29-Mar-99 2:06 PM EST (1906 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.