Greek authorities ordered Golden Dawn leader Nikos Michaloliakos to remand in custody pending trial. After a marathon interrogation that lasted five hours, there was no release on bail for the ‘Greek Fuehrer’. Michaloliakos was taken from Evelpidon court back to police headquarters from where he is due to be transferred in jail later today.
Nikos Michaloliakos denied all charges of setting up a criminal organization. He claimed, the charges were politically motivated. His defense line was based on this claim and he therefore claimed that the activities of his party were within the contours of parliament. He denied, that he party members were involved in illegal activities.
“I feel sorry for the murder of [Pavlos] Fyssas,” Michaloliakos told the judges.
“I condemn [the murder], like I condemn violence in general. I am not a Nazi,” said the 56-year-old mathematician.
His defense started at 7:30 p.m. and ended at 2 o’clock in the morning. However the judges called for testimony the head of local Golden Dawn branch in Nikaia, Giorgos Patelis, the area where Pavlos Fyssas was stabbed to death by a GD member.
Patelis testimony was considered crucial for the future of Michaloliakos.
At 4 a.m. the judges decided to remand in custody pending trial both Michaloliakos and Patelis.
While Michaloliakos was in court, his wife and daughter, some MPs and a small group of GD members/supporters were outside the building.
When Michaloliakos in handcuffs exited the court building to be transferred back to police headquarters, he shouted “hurrah the victory!” his supporters chanted the known party slogan “Blood, Pride, Golden Dawn”, while a female voice was heard shouting “We will win the f@@@@ts!”. It is not clear whether it was the Michaloliakos’ daughter or wife, also an MP.
After the outcry for the release on bail for the three Golden Dawn MPs on Wednesday, it would have been a real scandal if also the party leader would have been released. Especially after prime minister Antonis Samaras had hailed “Golden Dawn leaders are in jail” and “democracy prevails”, while the government did not miss a chance to disseminate that “Golden Dawn is a criminal organization”. Since last Saturday, where six GD MPs – Michaloliakos incl.- were taken to police in handcuffs, Greeks have been bombarded via television and print media with important and unimportant dialogues between Golden Dawn members, as they were surveiled by the National Intelligence Service (EYP) and leaked to the press.
MP Christos Pappas is to appear in court for his defense on Thursday morning.
Nikos Michaloliakos is considered to be the leader of the criminal organization Golden Dawn, while Pappas is considered to be the deputy leader.
