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| Three Far-Right Lawmakers Released in Greece | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| ATHENS — Three prominent lawmakers of the ultraright Golden Dawn political party arrested last Saturday on charges of belonging to a criminal organization were released pending trial on Wednesday, a surprising decision that blunted the impact of a government crackdown on the party. | ATHENS — Three prominent lawmakers of the ultraright Golden Dawn political party arrested last Saturday on charges of belonging to a criminal organization were released pending trial on Wednesday, a surprising decision that blunted the impact of a government crackdown on the party. |
| A fourth member of the neo-fascist party remained in custody. | A fourth member of the neo-fascist party remained in custody. |
| After more than 17 hours of testimony before a magistrate, the party’s spokesman, Ilias Kasidiaris, and two other members of Parliament, Ilias Panagiotaros and Nikos Michos, were freed with orders not to leave the country. Kasidiaris was required to post a 50,000 euros in bail, about $67,000. Striding out of the capital’s court complex, Mr. Kasidiaris called reporters “bums” and pushed photographers out of his way. | After more than 17 hours of testimony before a magistrate, the party’s spokesman, Ilias Kasidiaris, and two other members of Parliament, Ilias Panagiotaros and Nikos Michos, were freed with orders not to leave the country. Kasidiaris was required to post a 50,000 euros in bail, about $67,000. Striding out of the capital’s court complex, Mr. Kasidiaris called reporters “bums” and pushed photographers out of his way. |
| “We’re going to have some fun now,” Mr. Michos told journalists later. “We’ll see this through to the end. Only bullets can stop us.” | “We’re going to have some fun now,” Mr. Michos told journalists later. “We’ll see this through to the end. Only bullets can stop us.” |
| In his testimony, which ran late into Tuesday night, Mr. Kasidiaris claimed that Golden Dawn members were the victims of a politically motivated persecution aimed at depriving the party of a strong showing in local elections in Greece next spring, when he is planning to run for mayor of Athens. | In his testimony, which ran late into Tuesday night, Mr. Kasidiaris claimed that Golden Dawn members were the victims of a politically motivated persecution aimed at depriving the party of a strong showing in local elections in Greece next spring, when he is planning to run for mayor of Athens. |
| Mr. Kasidiaris also faces trial on charges that he assaulted two leftist members of Parliament, both women, during a live television debate in June 2012, shortly before the general elections that secured his party 18 seats in Greece’s 300-member Parliament. No trial date has been set. | Mr. Kasidiaris also faces trial on charges that he assaulted two leftist members of Parliament, both women, during a live television debate in June 2012, shortly before the general elections that secured his party 18 seats in Greece’s 300-member Parliament. No trial date has been set. |
| A fourth Golden Dawn official, Yannis Lagos, was remanded to custody after judicial authorities said that evidence linked him to criminal activities attributed to the party, including murders, attempted murders and blackmail. On Tuesday, the police said Lagos telephoned the leader of the party, Nikos Michaloliakos, half an hour after the fatal stabbing on Sept. 18 of a leftist hip-hop artist, Pavlos Fyssas, 34, by a man who said he was a supporter of Golden Dawn. Secret police documents leaked to the Greek press in recent days were described as tieing Mr. Lagos to protection and prostitution rackets, blackmail and money laundering. | A fourth Golden Dawn official, Yannis Lagos, was remanded to custody after judicial authorities said that evidence linked him to criminal activities attributed to the party, including murders, attempted murders and blackmail. On Tuesday, the police said Lagos telephoned the leader of the party, Nikos Michaloliakos, half an hour after the fatal stabbing on Sept. 18 of a leftist hip-hop artist, Pavlos Fyssas, 34, by a man who said he was a supporter of Golden Dawn. Secret police documents leaked to the Greek press in recent days were described as tieing Mr. Lagos to protection and prostitution rackets, blackmail and money laundering. |
| Mr. Michaloliakos, who served prison time for possession of explosives in his youth, was to face a magistrate on Wednesday afternoon while a sixth Golden Dawn parliamentarian arrested over the weekend, Christos Pappas, was to appear in court on Thursday. | Mr. Michaloliakos, who served prison time for possession of explosives in his youth, was to face a magistrate on Wednesday afternoon while a sixth Golden Dawn parliamentarian arrested over the weekend, Christos Pappas, was to appear in court on Thursday. |
| Police raids on the homes of Mr. Michaloliakos and Mr. Pappas have turned up unlicensed guns and ammunition as well as a wide range of Nazi paraphernalia. | Police raids on the homes of Mr. Michaloliakos and Mr. Pappas have turned up unlicensed guns and ammunition as well as a wide range of Nazi paraphernalia. |
| An internal affairs investigation by the Greek police into suspected links between Golden Dawn and the force has led to the detention of 10 officers in the past week, many found to have illegal weapons in their homes. Last month, 11 officers were temporarily suspended and two resigned. | An internal affairs investigation by the Greek police into suspected links between Golden Dawn and the force has led to the detention of 10 officers in the past week, many found to have illegal weapons in their homes. Last month, 11 officers were temporarily suspended and two resigned. |
| Prime Minister Antonis Samaras on Monday expressed his resolve to crack down on Golden Dawn, which has soared in popularity since entering Greece’s Parliament in June 2012 on a vehemently anti-immigrant platform. “We are dedicated to completely eradicating such a shame,” Mr. Samaras said at a reception sponsored by the American Jewish Committee in New York. | Prime Minister Antonis Samaras on Monday expressed his resolve to crack down on Golden Dawn, which has soared in popularity since entering Greece’s Parliament in June 2012 on a vehemently anti-immigrant platform. “We are dedicated to completely eradicating such a shame,” Mr. Samaras said at a reception sponsored by the American Jewish Committee in New York. |
| Golden Dawn members and supporters have been linked to a rise in violent attacks on immigrants over the past year, but it was last month’s killing of Mr. Fyssas by a man identified as Giorgos Roupakias that prompted a crackdown by authorities. Although the investigation and arrests have cost the party some public support, opinions polls indicate that Golden Dawn remains the third most popular party in Greece, raising questions about how much the authorities can limit its political activities. | Golden Dawn members and supporters have been linked to a rise in violent attacks on immigrants over the past year, but it was last month’s killing of Mr. Fyssas by a man identified as Giorgos Roupakias that prompted a crackdown by authorities. Although the investigation and arrests have cost the party some public support, opinions polls indicate that Golden Dawn remains the third most popular party in Greece, raising questions about how much the authorities can limit its political activities. |
| Government officials submitted legislation to Parliament this week to stop state financing for the party. A separate bill providing for stricter penalties for racially motivated crimes is to be unveiled in coming days, officials said. | Government officials submitted legislation to Parliament this week to stop state financing for the party. A separate bill providing for stricter penalties for racially motivated crimes is to be unveiled in coming days, officials said. |