-Caveat Lector- Greece Pressured To Tackle Terrorism By BRIAN MURPHY .c The Associated Press ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Hundreds of arson strikes and bomb attacks in the last two years have left Greece increasingly at odds with the United States - a principal target for Greek terrorists. The attacks by terrorists and anarchists have also left Greece out of step with its European Union partners, who have crushed or hobbled their own urban terrorist networks. But after decades of inaction, Greek leaders may finally be heeding the calls to work harder to try to squash Europe's most elusive terrorist cell, November 17, and other smaller terrorist groups. On Monday, self-proclaimed anarchist Nikos Maziotis went on trial for a 1997 bomb at the Greek Interior Ministry. His prosecution could help ease U.S.-led demands that Greece take stronger measures against terrorism. Yet it could also become a rallying point for more attacks - especially during planned visits this month by American law enforcement and counter-terrorism officials. Four Americans and one Greek employee at the U.S. Embassy have been killed by November 17. More than a dozen U.S.-linked sites, including Citibank and car dealerships, have been attacked this year. And the price tag for security for U.S. diplomats in Greece is the highest in the world, though the exact cost is kept secret. The pressure on Greece - now listed by Washington as the reigning hub of leftist and anti-foreigner terrorism in Europe - appears part of a general U.S. security alarm following the twin bombings at embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in August 1998. The CIA and other U.S. investigators have been working alongside Greek authorities since 1975, when November 17 gunned down its first victim: CIA station chief Richard Welch. Yet U.S. officials complain they are granted limited powers and claim Greece lacks the political will or police expertise to mount a terrorist crackdown. Although they lack such tools as a national DNA registry and a special anti-terrorist forensics team, Greek authorities vigorously deny any weakness in battling terrorism. ``Greece does not have a terrorism problem,'' insisted government spokesman Dimitris Reppas, whose own office was hit by an incendiary bomb in May 1998. ``There is a real battle of perception going on,'' said John Sitilides, executive director of the Western Policy Center, a Washington-based group promoting U.S.-Greek dialogue. ``The Americans see a major problem. The Greeks don't see this with the same urgency.'' But the list of attacks - and the dearth of arrests - point to a very lopsided score. Obscure leftist groups have carried out attacks on a range of targets, including diplomatic cars and compounds and foreign businesses and institutions. The bombings are generally carried out at night and there have been few victims. But Western diplomatic sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, worry the groups could get more brazen and dangerous. November 17 is suspected of carrying out rocket attacks on the German ambassador's residence in May and several other foreign banks in recent months. It has managed to carry out 21 killings and hit dozens of targets in the past 24 years without any confirmed suspects facing justice. November 17 takes its name from the date in 1973 when the military junta ruling Greece crushed a student uprising. Over the years, its philosophy has apparently shifted from Marxism to a mix of ultra-nationalism and working-class populism. But U.S. officials fear the group could focus more on anti-NATO retaliation following the campaign against Yugoslavia, which was widely condemned by Greeks. ``The government just wants this problem to dissolve into the air,'' said Maria Bossi, a former member of Greece's anti-terrorist commission. In a step toward more international cooperation, a group of 50 Greek police officers are scheduled to spend the summer in the United States training in anti-terrorism techniques. Bossi, however, calls this ``just a nice bit of public relations.'' ``Everybody wants to get rid of this anxiety of 25 years,'' she said. ``But you need to take certain steps. They are not taking the steps.'' These would include full-time anti-terrorist detectives, devoting resources to developing data banks to cross-reference evidence and creating a witness protection network to encourage testimony, she said. But more important is the political determination. For politicians, however, the costs are potentially high. Many Greeks still see November 17 as a righteous crusader that does not disrupt the lives of ordinary citizens. There are hopes the government of Premier Costas Simitis may be less reticent than its predecessors. Simitis is seeking to rid Greece's renegade image in the EU, encourage foreign investors and boost a sagging tourism industry. Also, Greece does not want the specter of terrorism disrupting preparations for the 2004 Olympics in Athens. ``I believe the Greek government wants to get to the root of the problem,'' said U.S. Ambassador to Greece, Nicholas Burns. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! 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