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| Golden Dawn head Nikos Mihaloliakos to outline defence | Golden Dawn head Nikos Mihaloliakos to outline defence |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The head of Greece's far-right Golden Dawn party, Nikos Mihaloliakos, is to appear in court to answer charges of organising a criminal group. | |
| He was one of six MPs arrested over the weekend amid outrage over the recent murder of an anti-racist musician. | |
| Three of the detained MPs have been freed pending trial while a fourth was remanded in custody. | |
| All four denied the charges against them during a marathon court hearing in Athens. | |
| The fact that three were freed pending trial will raise questions over how watertight the government's case against them actually is, the BBC's Mark Lowen reports from the Greek capital. | |
| In all, 22 people were detained following the 18 September murder of Pavlos Fyssas. | |
| A man held for the stabbing told police he was a Golden Dawn supporter, though the party strongly denies any link. | A man held for the stabbing told police he was a Golden Dawn supporter, though the party strongly denies any link. |
| Chanting supporters | Chanting supporters |
| Mr Mihaloliakos faces charges including murder, assault and money-laundering. | Mr Mihaloliakos faces charges including murder, assault and money-laundering. |
| According to Greek law, he will set out a preliminary defence argument when he appears before an investigative judge on Wednesday. | According to Greek law, he will set out a preliminary defence argument when he appears before an investigative judge on Wednesday. |
| The judge will then decide - on the basis of the charges and the defence statement - whether to grant bail or remand Mr Mihaloliakos in custody pending his full trial, which the authorities are keen to conclude swiftly. | The judge will then decide - on the basis of the charges and the defence statement - whether to grant bail or remand Mr Mihaloliakos in custody pending his full trial, which the authorities are keen to conclude swiftly. |
| MP and party spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris was freed on Wednesday on bail of 50,000 euros (£42,000; $68,000) and banned from leaving the country. Fellow MPs Ilias Panagiotaros and Nikos Michos were freed under travel bans but with no bail set. | |
| A fourth MP, Yannis Lagos, was remanded in custody. | |
| The plea session lasted 18 hours, Reuters news agency reports. | |
| Mr Mihaloliakos's deputy, Christos Pappas, is set to appear in court in the coming days. | |
| Any MPs finally convicted would lose their seats in parliament, prompting by-elections and - the government hopes - leading to the destruction of Greece's neo-Nazi party, says the BBC's Mark Lowen, in Athens. | Any MPs finally convicted would lose their seats in parliament, prompting by-elections and - the government hopes - leading to the destruction of Greece's neo-Nazi party, says the BBC's Mark Lowen, in Athens. |
| During Tuesday's court appearances, there was a heavy presence of riot police - a reminder that despite falling popularity in the opinion polls, the party still commands significant support, our correspondent says. | During Tuesday's court appearances, there was a heavy presence of riot police - a reminder that despite falling popularity in the opinion polls, the party still commands significant support, our correspondent says. |
| Supporters outside court chanted slogans, including "You are heroes!" | Supporters outside court chanted slogans, including "You are heroes!" |
| Details from witness testimony have been emerging about the way in which the party operated. | Details from witness testimony have been emerging about the way in which the party operated. |
| Nazi paraphernalia | Nazi paraphernalia |
| The testimony speaks of a strict hierarchical structure - or "'Fuehrer principle" as the indictment calls it - as well as assault squads and military-style training, our correspondent says. | The testimony speaks of a strict hierarchical structure - or "'Fuehrer principle" as the indictment calls it - as well as assault squads and military-style training, our correspondent says. |
| Searches of the homes of some MPs have found Nazi paraphernalia as well as unlicensed weapons, ammunition and bundles of cash. | Searches of the homes of some MPs have found Nazi paraphernalia as well as unlicensed weapons, ammunition and bundles of cash. |
| The crackdown has was sparked by outrage at the murder of rapper Pavlos Fyssas, 34, whose stage name was Killah P. | The crackdown has was sparked by outrage at the murder of rapper Pavlos Fyssas, 34, whose stage name was Killah P. |
| George Roupakias, 45, who said he was a supporter of Golden Dawn, was arrested in connection with the killing. | George Roupakias, 45, who said he was a supporter of Golden Dawn, was arrested in connection with the killing. |
| On Friday, Golden Dawn - which won nearly 7% of the vote in 2012 elections - threatened to pull its 18 MPs out of the 300-strong parliament. | On Friday, Golden Dawn - which won nearly 7% of the vote in 2012 elections - threatened to pull its 18 MPs out of the 300-strong parliament. |
| The governing coalition headed by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, which has 155 seats, would then face by-elections. | The governing coalition headed by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, which has 155 seats, would then face by-elections. |
| Speaking on a visit to the US on Monday, Mr Samaras vowed to eradicate the "shame of neo-Nazism". | Speaking on a visit to the US on Monday, Mr Samaras vowed to eradicate the "shame of neo-Nazism". |
| In recent months, Golden Dawn has been accused of perpetrating attacks on migrants and political opponents. | In recent months, Golden Dawn has been accused of perpetrating attacks on migrants and political opponents. |
| Golden Dawn officially denies being a neo-Nazi movement, despite its swastika-like insignia. | Golden Dawn officially denies being a neo-Nazi movement, despite its swastika-like insignia. |