Convicted Leader of Greek Militant Group Ordered Back to Prison

Key Points:

• Alexandros Giotopoulos, convicted leader of the leftist militant group November 17 in Greece, is returning to prison less than a month after his release due to a Supreme Court decision.
• Giotopoulos had been serving 17 life sentences for orchestrating attacks that resulted in 23 deaths, including a CIA officer in 1975, but was released in May citing age, health, and good behavior.
• The Supreme Court ruled that Giotopoulos had not served the required 25 years for multiple life sentences, overturning his release and mandating his return to Korydallos prison.
• The release had faced immediate opposition from victims' families and the U.S. Embassy, which called for his re-incarceration, though Greek judicial authorities condemned the embassy's statement as interference.
• November 17 was responsible for bombings, assassinations, and robberies from 1975 until its dismantling in 2002, with Giotopoulos and other members convicted in 2003 after a breakthrough arrest.