Analysis: Greek Paper Prints Leftist Terrorist Group Proclamation Identifying 'Potential Targets'

At the same time it issued its multi-page proclamation, the "Revolutionary Struggle" organization has also published its ideological manifesto. It is the first document in which it "officially" accepts responsibility for the bomb attack at the Evelpidhon Street law courts on 5 September 2003, as well as a similar attack against the Citybank branch in the Psikhikon area on 14 March 2003. The proclamation was sent to Elevtherotipia newspaper on 15 March 2004, which then published lengthy excerpts. The members of the organization also sent their proclamation, in addition to their manifesto, to the Pontiki newspaper, which printed in full both texts.

Ideological profile

The proclamation was issued on 15 March 2004 and is essentially the first to be issued in the "post-17N era". The "Revolutionary Struggle" thus becomes the first organization, after the dismantling of the 17N and ELA, which has issued anything in writing, thereby seeking to establish its ideological profile. At the same time, the structure of the proclamation, its phraseology, the repeated references to the "US factor", the extensive historical references, and the manner in which possible "targets" are identified, are a strong reminder of the proclamations issued by the ELA, as well as by 17N.

The "Revolutionary Struggle" sent its proclamation not immediately after the attack at the law courts, but following the staging of its second attack. This was the manner followed by both of the above organizations, which avoided issuing a proclamation after one attack, if their members were planning to stage a second one. Among the some 250 groups who claimed responsibility for a variety of, mainly arson, attacks during the past years, none of them had a clear ideological position, nor did they attempt to justify their actions. Only the "Revolutionary Struggle" is trying to achieve this through its 15 March proclamation.

All the above are causing intense concern to the authorities and strengthen the theory that the key members of the new organization are circumstantial members of the 17N and the ELA, who managed so far to avoid arrest.

In its proclamation, the "Revolutionary Struggle" organization expresses its opposition to the "war against terrorism". It makes extensive references to US foreign policy, particularly after the Gulf war, while speaking at the same time of Greece's participation.

"It is not viable"

The proclamation also expresses the organization's stance against globalization, and calls "for revolution, which is the only possible answer". It also states the following: "One other issue that presents itself is for how much longer can the present regime keep under control a social situation whose stability is questionable. For how much longer can globalization remain the 'ideal' system that is gifted 'by nature' to resolve its contradictions, while the financial and political elites gain the ability to convince the peoples of the world that it is only through development they can find the magic formula that will lead to the solution of the problems of unemployment and poverty. As far as we are concerned, we believe that the modern system of financial and political globalization is neither viable, nor does it permit any improvements or essential changes. The over-concentration of social power in the hands of a minority, and the increased squalor of the majority of the people do not merely reflect the regrettable and extreme representations of the present system. There are many who have vested interests that support the existing system. This is because of self-interest, although they do not really believe in it, since in its present form the system compares in barbarity with the unbridled capitalism of the 19th century".

"To wake-up conscience"

The proclamation-manifesto ends with the following: "We must fight to wake-up the conscience of the people, to radicalize them, to change the present conditions, to widen the struggle and revolutionary hope. This is something we believe is worth fighting for. It is only through continuous struggle, which will lead to revolution, that we can today find true freedom. To create a world where equality and welfare will not be a dream, where the essence of progress will not be connected with the modern brutality of high technology. Instead, it will find its reward in the ability of society to guarantee equality in front of the law, and the power of each person to participate in the formulation of its social and financial role. Such a world is only feasible through the framework of a society that its structures will not permit the concentration of political and financial strength in the hands of the few. On the contrary, it will guarantee that such incidents will not reappear and will be replaced by the horizontal concentration of collective life. Through such an international prospect, we believe that it is possible and feasible to achieve its revolutionary vision. The real promise in the sky"... (ellipsis as published).

Who are the potential targets

The proclamation-manifesto of the "Revolutionary Struggle" identifies the following as potential targets:

Senior members of "Athens 2004"

"The power center for the development of Greece lies in Sophocleous Street (Athens Stock Exchange), where the big corporations enjoy the fruits of their super-profits from the stock exchange speculation. Powerful Greece is only for the SEV (Association of Greek Industrialists) and the industry owners. Since 1998, they have pocketed three billion euros from subsidies, given under the guise of incentives for development. It also concerns the state employees of the "Athens 2004" organizing committee, who enjoy salaries of millions, while the basic salary in the country is 500 euros".

Businessmen who have undertaken the construction of Olympic projects

"Powerful Greece concerns only the businessmen who are participating in the implementation of the Olympic 'vision', whose cost has already exceeded 5 billion euros. It concerns the large construction companies who benefit from the scandalous waste of money from the so-called development and construction projects. It concerns the civil servants and their relations with the financial elite of our country. This is a continuing phenomenon that appears daily and when a mistake is committed by those involved and inevitably comes to light, it is then condemned as a political scandal".

Police and state services

"Powerful and modern Greece is the Greece of the MAT (Riot Police Units) who attack protesters, striking workers, and farmers on the highways. We must stage immediately attacks against those systems that support and promote the crimes committed by the representatives of the New Order, the capitalist structures, the financial and political policies, the state mechanism and all its branches".

Concerning the Kallithea bomb attack, the proclamation declares: "We have attacked the armed gangs of the regime inside their own nest. This has proved how much fragile they really are, and that the notorious "total security doctrine" is worthless".

For the Olympic Games

The proclamation on the Kallithea bomb attack puts forth a clear threat against western tourists, stating the following. "Concerning the Olympic Games, we state that the manner in which Greece has been turned into a fortress, the involvement of NATO, the presence, and the activities of foreign secret intelligence services, make it absolutely clear that this is not about a festivity, as the organizers like to boast, but it is about war. In addition, we also state that all the elements constituting international capital--multinational companies, businessmen--the planet's mercenary killers, state officials, as well as affluent western Olympic tourists who intend to travel here for the games, are not welcome".

The manifesto, however, contains another point of view. "If our country does not become a target for those Islamists who are resisting, as was the recent case in Madrid, this will be due to the social and political opposition to the war in Iraq that was manifested through the mass demonstrations held last spring".

(Description of Source: Athens Ta Nea in Greek -- Center-Left daily with pro-Pasok Inclination)

Translated from the original by WNC.