Greek terror suspect protests

Fifteen alleged members are now in detention in Athens

The man suspected of leading the Greek urban guerrilla group November 17 has protested against the treatment he and other alleged members are receiving in an Athens prison.

It makes no sense to talk about a fair trial

Alexandros Giotopoulos

In a statement issued through his lawyer, Alexandros Giotopoulos said the authorities are humiliating the detainees and stopping them from preparing their defence.

The government has denied the charges, but the chief public prosecutor has asked his officials to investigate the allegations.

Fifteen suspected members of November 17 have been arrested in recent weeks - the latest on Thursday.

The groups has been blamed for more than 20 high-profile killings and dozens of bombings since it first emerged in 1975.

'Illegal conditions'

Mr Giotopoulos, a 58-year-old French-born academic, was captured on an Aegean island two weeks ago. He denies all charges against him.

Giotopoulos is the alleged 'brain' behind N17

Speaking though his lawyer, Mr Giotopoulos protested about the conditions in which he and other alleged members of the group are detained in the high security wing of the main Athens prison.

He said conditions are humiliating as well as illegal, and that defendants are denied proper communication with their lawyers and access to judicial documents.

"It makes no sense to talk about a fair trial", Mr Giotopoulos added.

In response, justice ministry officials said the conditions of detention complied with regulations.

Prison visit

The Greek Government has been stressing that those charged would be guaranteed a fair trial.

The group has been blamed for killings and attacks since 1975

The chief public prosecutor, for his part, has ordered two officials to visit the prison on Friday to inquire into Mr Giotopoulos's allegations and produce a report as soon as possible.

All 15 suspected members being held were arrested following a major breakthrough in June.

November 17 is named after a student uprising in the 1970s against Greece's military regime.

It has claimed 23 assassinations of Greek and foreign nationals since it was founded.

Its last act is believed to have been the murder in June 2000 of the UK military attache in Athens.