An appeal began Friday in a Greek court for members of the November 17 terrorist group, who were convicted for their roles in a terror spree -- including murders and bombings -- spanning more than a quarter of a century. Fourteen of the 15 members convicted in December 2003 were at the hearing Friday as the proceedings got underway amid tight security at a prison outside Athens. Of those 15, six received life sentences. The remaining nine received jail terms of 18 years or less. Legal sources said it was highly unlikely that sentences would be reduced for the key members, although some of the lesser sentences may be reduced. The hearing was held two years to the day after the convictions. Nearly two dozen prominent Greeks as well as Turkish, British and U.S. diplomats were among the group's victims. British attache Stephen Saunders, 53, was shot four times by two assailants riding a motorcycle while traveling to work in June 2000, during the morning rush hour on the busy Kiffisias avenue in Athens. He died three-and-a-half hours later. The brigadier was the last victim in November 17's 28-year campaign of terror. A proclamation from the group at the time claimed Saunders was gunned down because of Britain's role in the NATO attacks on Yugoslavia in 1999.
The group is blamed for dozens of armed robberies, hundreds of bombings and 23 killings since 1975, including the death of Richard Welch, who was the CIA station chief in Athens. Police have long said that the November 17 terrorist group was believed to be a small, close-knit group. The group is named after the date of a student uprising in 1973 against the military junta then ruling Greece. Greek police have been anxious to break the group ahead of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.