Greeks 'confess to assassinations'

Captured November 17 guerrilla suspects have given chilling accounts of their 27-year terror campaign in confessions leaked to the Greek media.

Christodoulos Xiros, the eldest of three brothers who are among 11 men in custody in Greece, is said to have given details in a confession of how a mysterious man code-named Loukas, who is still on the run, was involved in planning all of the group's attacks.

One of the Xiros brothers, Vassilis, admitted last week that he took part in planning the assassination of the British military attaché Brigadier Stephen Saunders in June 2000.

Vassilis Xiros has told investigating magistrates that Loukas and another Xiros brother, Savas, shot dead the military attaché with a .45 calibre pistol. He said his own role in the murder was to drive a van containing the getaway scooter to the site of Saunders' murder on a busy Athens street.

Police have identified Loukas as Dimitris Koufodinas and have released his photograph to the press.

Christodoulos Xiros has revealed that the group staked out its victims in advance and checked all possible escape routes along which to flee after the killing. Its members would swap places several times when tailing targets and use several different cars to escape before hiding out in safe houses across Athens, he said. Mr Xiros, who is charged with several counts of murder, attempted murder and rocket attacks, described how he killed the Greek industrialist Dimitris Angelopoulos in 1986.

"I was across the street carrying a trenchcoat and a bag. Inside the bag, I had a cardboard box with an automatic gun. There was a big hole in the box so I could reach the trigger quickly. I got a signal and crossed the street ... I shot him two or three times. I crossed the street again where a stolen motorcycle was waiting for me," he said.

The alleged leader of the group, Alexandros Giotopoulos, pleaded innocent yesterday. He has been charged with felonies including multiple counts of murder and attempted murder. He faces life in prison.

Greek police also announced that another suspect, Costas Telios, had surrendered in the northern port of Thessaloniki and had been arrested. The 40-year-old elementary school teacher reportedly admitted taking part in the theft of about 100 anti-tank rockets from an army depot in 1989 and an armed robbery. He was being flown to Athens.

November 17, named after the day a military dictatorship crushed a student revolt in 1973, has killed 23 people since 1975. Brigadier Saunders was the group's most recent victim.