I – and many millions other Greeks – would not know that there is a man openly calling people for a “Guerrilla War” against “the forces of occupation”, meaning Greece’s lenders. We wouldn’t have the slightest idea that such a “resistance war” is carried out with “molotov cocktails, weapons, knives, clubs, excecutions and kidnappings of citizens and torching public buildings”. No, we wouldn’t know, until conservative Nea Dimocratia digged up the Youtube video from 2011 and ‘pushed’ it around to Greek media. In a move to harm main election rival left-wing SYRIZA.
Over the weekend the man would launch a ‘revolutionary struggle” was seen on our TV screens in the usual tact: from early morning till late in the evening…
Ifikratis Amyras -the man praising the urban guerrilla war – “was on the ballot papers of SYRIZA for May 6 elections but his name was discretely withdrawn after the outrage” claimed Nea Dimocratia and even posted a video showing Amyras in an interview with Syriza-leader Alexis Tsipras from October 2011.
The video on several sites around the Internet, shows a man identified as one Iphicratis Amyras, whom ND spokesman Yiannis Mihelakis claims is a SYRIZA cadre and even a brief MP candidate with the party. Mihelakis said the man was later dropped from the May 6 ballot because of the uproar caused by his statements.
Amyras has appeared as an “alternative web journalist” in a number of web videos.
“SYRIZA is covering up such views, but it is not condemning them. It (SYRIZA) is harbouring and encouraging them (views) … the shock caused by SYRIZA and its fringe groupings on Greek citizens, at times as fans of the terrorist Koufodinas (a convicted N17 hitman), at times as instructors of urban warfare, at times as the protectors of hooded (rioters), is shocking for Greeks, said Yiannis Michelakis, ND spokesman according to Athens News Agency
The ND action triggering a war of statements between the two parties, with SYRIZA claiming the man had no connection with the party and wishing ND good recovery from the paranoia.
“Amyras has so much connection with SYRIZA, as ND has connection with reality and credibility,” said the left-wing party in a statement which was followed by another ND statement that was followed by a second SYRIZA statement…
Speaking to Skai TV on Monday morning, Ifikratis Amyras, said that he was not a member of SYRIZA or any of the parties political components, that he had put himself forward as a parliamentary candidate although his bid was rejected by SYRIZA.
However, things are apparently more complicated as even a ND official Filos Kranidiotis had given an interview to Amyras. “I didn’t know, Amyras would prove to be a …Vietkong,” Kanidiotis explained.
Video: from NewsIt
embedded by Embedded Video
YouTube Direkt
As ND and SYRIZa would most probably continue to make statements on this issue, the Athens prosecutor ordered a preliminary examination on whether Amyras incited people to commit felony offences such as robbery, homicide and kidnapping.
There are loony tunes in every party. ND is grasping at straws
Yup. It’s embarassing.
In some other nations, that man would be put into jail. And rightly so. Zero tolerance for terrorism supporters!
Anyway, that this nonsense has become yet another point of partisan bickering, instead of starting a healthy discussion about the partys’ attitude towards violence in the political discourse, is yet another example that Greek politicians are unable to focus on the most important matters for any reasonable amount of time. The nation is going down the drain, but nobody is really talking about realistic ideas to get out of the maelstrom. It’s hopeless.