Greek terrorist refuses security ankle monitor, house arrest option

One of the most famous terrorists in Greece who could continue serving life imprisonment conviction under house arrest wearing a security ankle monitor under a new law turned down the option with an open letter to the media on Tuesday citing health to religious reasons.

Savvas Xiros, 52, a key member of the November 17 terrorist group, who was convicted in 2003 for his role in dozens of killings, bomb attacks and robberies, was one of the potential beneficiaries of the law ratified by the Greek parliament in late April, Xinhua news agency reported.

The law allows prisoners with severe disabilities to stay under house arrest, wearing a special monitoring bracelet.

Xiros was arrested in June 2002 when he was seriously injured after placing a bomb that went off prematurely at the port of Piraeus.

His capture led to the dismantling of Greece's most active terrorist group since 1975. November 17 has been linked to the assassinations of 23 people in more than 100 attacks.

The prospect of his release from prison to serve the rest of his sentence under house arrest triggered fierce reactions from families of his victims and the US and British governments.

The Leftist government argued that the programme could help resolve the overcrowding problems in Greek prisons and show humanism of the Greek state, since there were no adequate facilities to cater for disabled inmates.

Xiros said on Tuesday that he refused to wear the bracelet because a private company would gain financial benefit and because prisoners were turned into "guinea pigs" in a pilot programme that would gradually expand to the entire society under an Orwellian nightmare.

The convicted terrorist also claimed that the ankle monitor would be an obstacle in undergoing medical tests such as MRIs.

Finally Xiros, son of a Greek Orthodox priest, has cited his religious belief for his refusal. Pointing to the Book of Revelation he said that the device was a means to block people who were electronically monitored from entering paradise.