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| Golden Dawn leader Nikos Mihaloliakos appears in court | Golden Dawn leader Nikos Mihaloliakos appears in court |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The head of Greece's far-right Golden Dawn party, Nikos Mihaloliakos, has arrived in court to answer charges of organising a criminal group. | The head of Greece's far-right Golden Dawn party, Nikos Mihaloliakos, has arrived in court to answer charges of organising a criminal group. |
| He was one of six MPs arrested at the weekend amid outrage over the recent murder of an anti-racist musician. | He was one of six MPs arrested at 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. | 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 an earlier, lengthy court hearing in Athens. | All four denied the charges against them during an earlier, lengthy 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. | 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. | 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. |
| Greek media reports suggested Mr Mihaloliakos was set to accuse the prosecution of mounting a politically motivated case, while deying any Nazi sympathies. | |
| He was expected to deplore the killing of Pavlos Fyssas, and violence as a whole, the reports suggested. | |
| According to Greek law, he is required to set out a preliminary defence argument during his appearance before an investigative judge. | According to Greek law, he is required to set out a preliminary defence argument during his appearance before an investigative judge. |
| The judge is due to 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. | |
| Prosecutors found there was insufficient evidence to keep three of the MPs in detention. | Prosecutors found there was insufficient evidence to keep three of the MPs in detention. |
| 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. | 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. |
| On leaving the court, Kasidiaris was filmed punching a video camera as he and his co-defendants barged journalists aside. | On leaving the court, Kasidiaris was filmed punching a video camera as he and his co-defendants barged journalists aside. |
| Fellow MPs Ilias Panagiotaros and Nikos Michos were freed under travel bans but with no bail set. They too left court in a belligerent mood, insulting reporters as "losers" and "little slaves". | |
| A fourth MP, Yannis Lagos, was remanded in custody. | A fourth MP, Yannis Lagos, was remanded in custody. |
| The plea session lasted 18 hours, Reuters news agency reports. | 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. | 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, 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. | 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 government is hoping that lurid witness testimony that has emerged - for example, of thugs hired by Golden Dawn to go through Athens on motorbikes assaulting immigrants - will permanently wreck the party's image, our correspondent says. | |
| The crackdown has was sparked by outrage at the murder of Fyssas, 34, an anti-racist rapper known as Killah P. | The crackdown has was sparked by outrage at the murder of Fyssas, 34, an anti-racist rapper known as 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. |