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Terrorism in Greece

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Terrorism in Greece

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Terrorism in Greece has roots in the political turmoil of the 20th century, particularly following the military dictatorship known as "junta" (1967–1974). The junta's brutal repression and violent crackdown on dissent sparked widespread public anger and radicalization, culminating in the 1973 Athens Polytechnic uprising when student protests were violently crushed by military force. In the aftermath, several extremist groups emerged, most prominently the far-Left Revolutionary Organization 17 November (17N), which targeted U.S., British, and Greek officials in a campaign of assassinations and bombings. These groups framed their actions as resistance against imperialism, capitalism, and the remnants of authoritarianism.

Although the Junta fell in 1974 and democracy was restored, proliferation of terrorism was amplified in the 1980's by the soft stance of Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou's administrations by repealing previous anti-terrorism legislation and with his Arab opening in foreign policy. Terrorism reached at its peak in the Koskotas scandal where Pavlos Bakoyannis, a member of Parliament and prominent figure in the indictment of Papandreou and four of his ministers, was assassinated. In 2001, Greece adopted a stable counter-terrorism framework that led to the dismantling of 17N just before the 2004 Olympic Games. However, the terrorism legacy continued to exert influence, with various anarchist and revolutionary factions carrying out sporadic attacks into the 21st century. The financial crisis of 2008 led to the increase of nationalism and the appearance of far-right extremist groups, such as Golden Dawn, who became the country's third largest party in the September 2015 election but was criminalised in 2020 after narrowly being voted out of parliament in the 2019 election, following the culmination of a five–year trial that declared it a criminal organisation and sentenced its political leadership.

History

First legislation

After the restoration of democracy in 1974, Greece was going through a stabilization phase, but terrorist attacks started to rise. Many youths, inspired by the Athens Polytechnic uprising, were sympathetic to Left-wing organizations advocating violence against authority. The slowing down of the economy and the high inflation caused by the oil crisis in the 1970s fueled the rise of these incidents. In response, Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis passed the 1978 anti-terrorist law (Law 774/1978), which was based on the recently enacted Italian and German anti-terrorist bills. At the time, opposition leader Andreas Papandreou decried the law on the basis that it suppresses civil liberties and the Greek constitution, and he further claimed that no such law is required simply because Greece does not have the social and political conditions for people to cause such violence.

Stance of Papandreou

Papandreou ascent to power in late 1981 marked a major shift in policy. He abolished Karamanlis' law (without proposing an alternative) based on the argument that this law "does not concern the terrorists, but it creates the ideological and political conditions to terrorize the Greek populace." He also made an opening to Arab regimes (see details in his Foreign policy). Specifically, he improved relations with 'radical' Arab nations, such as Muammar Gaddafi's Libya, Hafez al-Assad's Syria, and letting Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) members stay in Greece, antagonizing the United States. However, the combination of these policies effectively let terrorists operate in Greece in the 1980s with impunity.

Papandreou's soft stance on terrorism created friction with the Reagan administration. In June 1985, international attention was drawn to the hijacking of TWA Flight 847 from the Athens airport. After this incident and Papandreou's inaction on the matter, the U.S. produced a travel advisory against Greece, resulting in an 80% drop in U.S. visitors and loss of considerable tourism income. In November of 1985, another hijack from Athens resulted in 61 dead.

The reputation of Greece as a tourist destination deteriorated further by the frequency of incidents; in 1986 alone, there were twenty bombings in Athens. Infighting between Arab groups led to a series of anti-Gaddafi dissidents being found murdered and Syrian agents killing PLO members on Greek soil. On 11 July 1988, nine tourists were killed, and eighty others were wounded in an attack on the Greek ferry boat at the City of Poros. PASOK's response to these events was to deny them by claiming that it was an American conspiracy (as in the case of the Poros incident), or that terrorists were freedom fighters. A notable example of the latter was Ozama Al Zomar's release from prison and his extradition to Libya instead of Italy, where he was suspected by Italian police of the Great Synagogue of Rome attack. Papandreou's Justice Minister, Vassilis Rotis, explained this course of action by justifying that the attack "falls within his struggle to regain the independence of his homeland and consequently suggests action for freedom."

Rise of 17 November

The symbol of November 17 terrorist organization, which operated largely undisturbed under Papandreou's reign.

The primary terrorist organization in Greece was Revolutionary Organization 17 November (17N). Operating from December 1975 until its dismantling in 2002, it assassinated 23 people, mainly Western diplomats with military or intelligence roles and prominent businessmen. Soon after taking power, Papandreou closed down the police unit investigating the organization. In the first two years of Papandreou's rule, the 17N organization was inactive. Presumably, Papandreou's anti-EU, anti-NATO rhetoric aligned with 17N goals.

After the new agreement for the U.S. bases to stay on Greek soil (see negotiation of U.S. bases), 17N turned against Papandreou. In 1985, in an attack responding to the death of a 15-year-old boy by police, the organization claimed that Papandreou's PASOK is "now working for the Right, which explains why it has yet to be overthrown." It also turned against industrialists based on the belief that they were getting large bonuses from Papandreou's governments, state money meant for investments and instead used for increasing their wealth. Notable deaths were the President of the Halyvourgiki Hellenic Steel Industry, Dimitrios Angelopoulos, in 1986, and two years later the Director of LARCO, Alexandros Athanassiadis. The 17N organization power reached a turning point in the Koskotas scandal when a parliamentary member and the architect of indictment of Papandreou and four ministers, Pavlos Bakoyannis, was assassinated.

Misplaced surveillance

For much of the 1980s, Greek police remained underfunded and demoralized, weakened by Papandreou's anti-authoritarian rhetoric, resulting in few terrorist convictions. At the same time, Papandreou used the junta's surveillance infrastructure exclusively to keep track of his political enemies, labeled as terrorists, including well-respected politicians such as Karamanlis, from political opposition Konstantinos Mitsotakis and Evangelos Averoff, senior ministers in PASOK governments who may be potential successors such as Costas Simitis and Georgios Gennimatas, newspaper publishers, police chiefs, and even PASOK's governmental spokesman.

Change of course

The change of course from Papandreou's policy on terrorism came from Mitsotakis' government in the early 1990s by reinstating Karamanlis' anti-terrorism legislation (Law 1916/1990) and any terrorists found, and the PLO representatives were expelled. In 1993, upon the return of PASOK to power, it repealed the new legislation. Papandreou resigned from PASOK leadership in January 1996 and died in June of the same year. Later, his successor, Simitis, passed new anti-terrorist legislation in 2001 (Law 2928/01), and he brought to justice the 17N organization before the 2004 Olympic Games.

Rise of Right-wing extremism

List of active and dismantled terrorist organizations

Nihilist Faction

Nihilist Faction The Nihilist Faction () was a nihilist anarchist organization in Greece, which claimed responsibility for a 28 May 1996 bombing of IBM offices in Athens. The attack caused extensive structural damage but no injuries. The group claimed responsibility in a statement for other attacks in April of this year, like the arson of the deputy prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Greece and former president of the Prosecutors' Association, and a fire bombing against a shopping center on Tsakalof Street in Kolonaki, leaving material damages in both incidents. The group was founded in 1996.

Revolutionary People's Struggle

Main article: Revolutionary People's Struggle}}Revolutionary People's Struggle ({{langx, el, Επαναστατικός Λαϊκός Αγώνας (ΕΛΑ), [far-left]] [Urban guerrilla warfare, [urban guerilla]] organization that operated between 1975 and 1995 before its members announcing its disbandment. It was the largest terrorist organization by number of group members in Greece.{{Cite web](urban-guerilla-organization-that-operated-between-1975-and-1995-before-its-members-announcing-its-disbandment-it-was-the-largest-terrorist-organization-by-number-of-group-members-in-greece-ref-cite-web)

Revolutionary Organization 17 November

Main article: Revolutionary Organization 17 November

N17 was a Greek far-left Marxist–Leninist urban guerrilla organization formed in 1975. The Greek government arrested many members of the 17 November organization in the summer of 2002. In 2003 15 members were found guilty of multiple murders and convicted for more than 2,500 crimes.

Revolutionary Struggle

Main article: Revolutionary Struggle

The Revolutionary Struggle was a far-left Greek paramilitary group known for its attacks on Greek government buildings. It was widely described as a terrorist organization by both the Greek government and the media.

Revolutionary Nuclei

Main article: Revolutionary Nuclei

Revolutionary Nuclei (RN) was, anti-U.S., anti-NATO, and anti-European Union urban guerrilla organization that conducted 13 bomb attacks in Athens between 1996 and 2000. The first attack for which RN took credit was a bomb attack on Greek Coast Guard installations in Piraeus on 11 May 1997, but it later acknowledged that two earlier attacks were carried out by RN members. Per its four proclamations, RN fought against the "imperialist domination, exploitation, and oppression" of Greece.

On 27 April 1999 an RN bomb targeting a conference at the InterContinental Hotel in Athens killed one person (Despite telephoned warnings, the building was not evacuated). In December 1999 RN set off explosives near Texaco's offices in Athens.

Main article: Popular Fighters Group

Conspiracy of Fire Nuclei

Main article: Conspiracy of Fire Nuclei

Sect of Revolutionaries

Main article: Sect of Revolutionaries

Revolutionary Self-Defense

Main article: Organization for Revolutionary Self-Defense

The Revolutionary Self-Defense was a militant anarchist organisation formed in 2014, it was dismantled in 2019. It claimed to fight to "construct a mass internationalist revolutionary movement, by strengthening militant resistance on the entire spectrum of class antagonism". On November 10, 2016, a police officer, who had been on guard outside the embassy, was wounded when unknown assailants threw a hand grenade on the French embassy building, days later the group claimed responsibility for the attack. Militants shot against members of the riot police when they are parked in the downtown in Athens, Greece. The incidents left no one injured. The group was suspected of a 2016 grenade attack the Russian embassy in Athens.

Black Star

Black Star (also known as Mavro Asteri; ) was a Greek anarchist urban guerrilla group involved in violent direct action.

During the period between May 1999 and October 2002, Black Star was one of the most active anarchist groups in Greece. They described themselves as anti-imperialist, anti-establishment, and anti-capitalist. The group declared itself to be dedicated to "resistance against the mass organizations of US imperialism and to their local collaborators." They believed that "the only terrorists are the US imperialist forces, their European allies, and their local capitalist associates."

Timeline

GreeceDateLocationDeathsInjuriesTypePerpetratorDescription
*2 September 1970***Athens**2-Car bomb**Anarchists****-- Diplomatic (United States)**
*5 August 1973***Athens**555Grenade & Small arms fire**Black September Organization (Palestinian nationalists)****-- Airports & Airlines**
*24 February 1974***Lavrion**2-Improvised Explosive Device**People's Resistance Organized Army****-- Business**
*23 December 1975***Athens**1-Small arms fire**Revolutionary Organization 17 November****-- Diplomatic (United States)**
*17 January 1980***Athens**2-Small arms fire**Revolutionary Organization 17 November****-- Government institutions**
*31 July 1980***Athens**22Small arms fire**ASALA (Armenian nationalists)****-- Diplomatic (Turkey)**
*21 July 1981***Athens**2-Small arms fire**Neo-fascists****-- Private citizens & property**
*7 November 1983***Athens**11Small arms fireUnknown**-- Diplomatic (Jordan)**
*15 November 1983***Athens**2-Small arms fire**Revolutionary Organization 17 November****-- Diplomatic (United States)**
*28 March 1984***Athens**2-Small arms fire**Abu Nidal Organization (Palestinian nationalists)****-- Diplomatic (United Kingdom)**
*2 February 1985***Athens**-78Time bomb**Greek Cypriots Ultranationalists****-- Foreign military targets (United States)**
*21 February 1985***Athens**2-Small arms fire**Revolutionary Organization 17 November****-- Business**
*15 May 1985***Athens**4-Small arms fire**Anti-State Struggle****-- Political**
*1987***Athens**-30Car bomb**Revolutionary Organization 17 November****-- Foreign military targets (United States)**
*26 November 1985***Athens**114Car bomb**Revolutionary Organization 17 November****-- Government institutions**
*28 June 1988***Athens**1-Car bomb**Revolutionary Organization 17 November****-- Diplomatic (United States)**
*11 July 1988***Athens**1198Car bomb -- Grenade & Small arms fire**Abu Nidal Organization (Palestinian nationalists)****-- Private citizens & property**
*27 September 1989***Athens**1-Small arms fire**Revolutionary Organization 17 November****-- Government institutions**
*12 March 1991***Athens**1-Improvised Explosive Device**Revolutionary Organization 17 November****-- Foreign government institutions (United States)**
*19 April 1991***Patras**77Improvised Explosive Device**Union of Palestinian Students (Palestinian nationalists)****-- Private citizens & property**
*14 July 1992***Athens**15Rocket propelled grenade fire**Revolutionary Organization 17 November****-- Government institutions**
*24 January 1994***Athens**1-Small arms fire**Revolutionary Organization 17 November****-- Government institutions**
*4 July 1994***Athens**1-Small arms fire**Revolutionary Organization 17 November****-- Diplomatic (Turkey)**
*28 May 1997***Athens**1-Small arms fire**Revolutionary Organization 17 November****-- Business**
*17 November 1999***Athens**1-Improvised Explosive Device**Revolutionary Nuclei****-- Private citizens & property**
*8 June 2000***Athens**1-Small arms fire**Revolutionary Organization 17 November****-- Diplomatic (United Kingdom)**
*17 June 2009***Athens**1-Small arms fire**Sect of Revolutionaries****-- Government institutions**title = Gunmen kill Greek anti-terrorist policeman
*28 July 2009***Athens**--Improvised Explosive Device and firebombing**Illuminating Paths of Solidarity****-- Private citizens & government property**
*28 March 2010***Athens**12Improvised Explosive DeviceUnknown**-- Private citizens & property**
*24 June 2010***Athens**1-Improvised Explosive Device**Revolutionary Struggle****-- Government institutions**
*19 July 2010***Athens**1-Small arms fire**Sect of Revolutionaries****-- Journalists & Media**
* 17 June 2012***Athens**--Hand grenadesUnknown**-- Journalists & Media**
*26 June 2012***Marousi**,**Athens**--Firebombing**Deviant Conduct by the Spread of Revolutionary Terrorism****-- Political**
*4 July 2013***Attica, Athens**--Firebombing**Zero Tolerance****-- Political**
*1 November 2013***Athens**21Small arms fire**The Fighting People's Revolutionary Powers****-- Political**
*14 January 2014***Athens**--Firebombing**Zero Tolerance****-- Political**
* 12 July 2014***Athens**--Hand grenade**Nuclei Of Nullists****-- Journalists & Media**
*14 January 2015***Athens**--Firebombing**Zero Tolerance****-- Political**
* 17 December 2018***Athens**--Bombing**Popular Fighters Group****-- Journalists & Media**
*3 February 2024***Athens**--Bombing**Revolutionary Class Self-Defense Revolutionary Class Self-Defense****-- Political**
*11 April 2025***Athens**--Bombing**Revolutionary Class Self-Defense****-- Political**

References

Sources

Books

Journals

Newspapers and magazines

References

  1. (April 1997). "Patterns of Global Terrorism 1996 - Greece". United States Department of State.
  2. "Φράξια Μηδενιστών- Βομβιστικό μπαράζ". Indymedia Athens.
  3. "Nihilist Faction -- Greece".
  4. "Έκλεισε η υπόθεση "ΕΛΑ" με την αθώωση των τριών τελευταίων κατηγορούμενων".
  5. [https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3395.htm Background Note: Greece] {{Webarchive. link. (2017-01-21 United States Department of State)
  6. (June 10, 2005). "Revolutionary Struggle terror group claims responsibility for attacks on labor ministry, police buses". Embassy of Greece to the United States.
  7. George Gilson. (December 23, 2005). "Robin Hood terrorists". Athens News.
  8. Anthee Carassava. (January 12, 2007). "U.S. Embassy in Athens Is Attacked". New York Times.
  9. [http://www.cdi.org/terrorism/terrorist-groups.cfm List of known terrorist organizations] {{Webarchive. link. (2009-08-06 Center for Defense Information)
  10. (7 December 2018). "Radicalization and Terrorism in Greece". European Eye on Radicalization.
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  15. (2001-12-07). "In Brief". Kathimerini.
  16. "(F) Europe Overview". U.S. Department of State.
  17. Morou, October 7, 2002
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  62. (17 June 2012). "Πραγματικές οι χειροβομβίδες που πέταξαν στον ΣΚΑΪ".
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  80. (2024-02-03). "Bomb explodes outside ministry in Athens, no injuries {{!}} eKathimerini.com".
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