8 defendants referred to trial in ‘Revolutionary Struggle’ case

Eight defendants were indicted on urban terrorism-related charges on Sunday for their alleged role in the “Revolutionary Struggle” group, an ultra-leftist gang mostly active in the greater Athens area.
The indictments were handed down unanimously by the Council of Appellate Justices against seven defendants and by majority for one defendant. Another three individuals were absolved of all charges, judging that evidence against them was insufficient.
Subsequently, a trial at the three-justice felony appeals court was ordered for Nikos Maziotis, his companion Panayiota Roupa, Costas Gournas, Christoforos Kortesis, Evangelos Stathopoulos, Sarantos Nikitopoulos, Costas Katsenos — who remains at large — and Maria Beraha.
Major terrorism-related trials bypass the first instance level and are heard at the appellate court level.
Amongst others, the self-styled anarchist organisation had claimed responsibility for the RPG attack on the US embassy in January 2007 and an assault rifle ambush of a police patrol in central Athens in January 2009, which left one officer critically injured.