US embassy decries prison leave for Ν17 hitman as ‘shameful injustice’

The US embassy in Athens slammed on Tuesday a decision by Greek prison authorities to grant Dimitris Koufodinas, a convicted hitman of the now defunct November 17 terrorist group, a third 48-hour furlough, following a two-week hunger strike.

“We thoroughly condemn this third furlough granted to a convicted terrorist and murderer,” the embassy said in a tweet.

“It’s a shameful injustice to his many victims’ families and a further incentive for his anarchist followers to commit violent and destructive acts in his name,” it added.

Koufodinas left Korydallos prison on Tuesday morning, after a brief hospitalisation at Nikaia public hospital.

He started a hunger strike on May 30 after authorities rejected a request for a third prison leave.

His release follows a spate of attacks by anarchist and anti-establishment groups against targets across the country, including the offices of the Hellenic American Union (HAU) in Athens and Thessaloniki.