Greek revolutionaries claim responsibility for parcel bomb campaign

November 2: The day after their arrest, Panagiotis Argyrou, 22, and Gerasimos Tsakalos, 24, members of the Conspiracy Cells of Fire group, are escorted out of the prosecutor office in Athens

Two imprisoned members of the Greek radical left Conspiracy of Fire Cells group have claimed for the first time their responsibility for parcel bombs addressed to European leaders and international embassies. In a letter published yesterday on the Indymedia Athens website they said they had dispatched “incendiary packages” to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the headquarters of the Eurojust agency The Hague and the embassies of Belgium and Mexico in Athens.

“We declare ourselves therefore prisoners of the revolutionary war, proud members of the revolutionary organization Conspiracy of Fire Cells. We do not regret anything” said the communique signed by chemistry student Panagiotis Argyrou, 22, and Gerasimos Tsakalos, 24, who were arrested in Athens on November 1.

They added that "even in the difficult conditions of our imprisonment, we will never stop publicizing our clear views and positions on armed violence, urban guerilla and revolution".

Argyrou and Tsakalos were detained hours after the first booby-trapped parcel, addressed for the Mexican embassy in Athens, exploded in a postal office, lightly wounding one worker according to press reports.

In total 14 parcels containing books or folders apparently filled with an slightly explosive powder were sent from Greece in the first week of November, including one that reached the offices of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and another intercepted in Italy and meant for Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. According to the news agency DAPD the package adressed to Merkel contained a pipe filled with black powder.

The Conspiracy of Fire Cells, labelled a "terrorist" group by Greek authorities, emerged in 2008 with the first of its arson and bomb attacks on government buildings and the offices and homes of Greek politicians that have never caused serious injury.

We document here the letter of the two comrades in an English translation:


„WHOEVER DOES NOT ARM HIS DENIALS, DIES IN HIS CONTRACTS

On 01/11/2010, after we have already dispatched two incendiary packages to Suisse Mail on Astidamantos street and to ACS on Spirou Merkouri street, in Pangrati, which were addressed to the Mexican embassy in Athens and the Eurojust (EU Police agency) in the Hague, we found us surrounded by police officers of the DIAS group (motorbike task force) and arrested. In our possession were found two more packages of incendiary parcels destined for the presidential residence of Nicolas Sarkozy in France and the Belgian Embassy in Athens.

As revolutionaries we do not recognize any interrogating authority. So, we were bound to refuse to apologize to cops and investigators, since we feel only before the public and comrades obliged to explain our revolutionary position.

We declare ourselves, therefore, prisoners of the revolutionary war (αιχμάλωτοι του επαναστατικού πολέμου), proud members of the revolutionary organization Conspiracy of Fire Cells (Συνωμοσία Πυρήνων της Φωτιάς).

We do not regret anything and we support all communiques and actions of our organization, as well as those that will happen from now on, which made us and will make us proud.

We support with all our soul the Conspiracy of Fire Cells, because it is also a part of our soul. Proudly we reclaim our choice to find ourselves in a position of attack against the system. Even in the difficult conditions of detention we will never stop publicizing our clear views and positions on armed violence, urban guerilla warfare and the revolution (για την ένοπλη βία, το αντάρτικο πόλης και την επανάσταση).

Comrades, let us not allow them to take from us even a drop of land.

Comrades, let’s break the apathy and societal infatuation.

Let’s blow up the normalization routines of society once and for all.

P.S. There is no more beautiful way to show solidarity and to broaden the revolutionary consciousness than the continuation and intensification of diverse guerilla actions. So we send our most sincere comradly greetings to the guerillas, which in spite of the times, continue to illuminate with fires of hate the miserable nights of the metropolis.

In the campaign for international solidarity to foreign organizations and imprisoned fighters, a communique of the organization will follow.

NOTHING IS OVER

THE WAR CONTINUES

Conspiracy of Fire Cells – Commando Practical Theory

Gerasimos Tsakalos Panagiotis Argyrou”

Sources:

Indymedia Athens (Greek communique)

Act For Freedom Now (English translation)

325.nostate (English translation)

Indymedia Germany (English translation)

Revolte.blogsport (deutsche Übersetzung)

Greek extremist group claims parcel bomb campaign (ANP/AFP via Radio Netherlands Worldwide)

Greek extremist group claims responsibility for parcel bombs campaign (AP via NYPost)

Group claims bomb campaign (AFP via Gulf Times)

Griechische Anarchisten bekennen sich zu Paketbomben (ANP via Dnews)

Athens hit by wave of mail bombs (The Star, Canada, 02/11/2010)

Photo: Getty Images via The Star, Canada