James Sotros writes:

Yannis Serifis, 63 year old anti-authoritarian syndicalist, has been
imprisoned and charged as being a member of the armed struggle group
"November 17" and for the murder of CIA chief in Greece, Richard Welch in
1975 (after the fall of the dictatorship).
(This group has been active for
27 years in Greece and 17 people have been imprisoned — prior to Yannis'
arrest — since late June as being members. It should be pointed out that when
first arrested some chose to collaborate with the police and gave names of
other members when first charged. Since then, claims have been made by some
of these prisoners of forced and/or fabricated confessions by police).

The
authorities' only "evidence" is the confessions of three of those charged (it
should be pointed out that these 3 men have since changed their statements
and now say Yannis was never involved in the group and its actions).

After 2 hours of questioning by the Court of Appeal, Yannis' imprisonment
was announced. Over 100 people — anarchists, antiauthoritarians,
revolutionary leftists — who had gathered outside, tried to prevent the police
jeep (with Yannis inside) from departing. One person was arrested. The riot
police attacked the demonstrators who threw stones in defence. Tear gas was
used to disperse the crowd.

This is part of an ongoing campaign by the Greek and American authorities to
imprison Yannis. Twenty-five years ago, Yannis was charged with the death of
militant Christos Kassimis. It was later revealed to be the work of two
security agents. He was imprisoned for 15 months before the court announced
the frameup. He had the solidarity of many people just as he has now.
Yannis has always made it clear that he has opposed the tactics of armed
struggle. For over 40 years as an industrial worker and member of the group
"Class Unity" at his workplace (public transport), he has preferred to be
open (in speech and practice) about his involvement in the mass workers
movement and class struggle. The authorities have no concrete evidence
against him (ie. his DNA, fingerprints were not found in the hideouts) and
his imprisonment is part of a broader campaign to criminalise the
revolutionary left/anarchist/antiauthoritarian movement and create a culture
of repression, curtail free speech and destroy independent syndicalism.