[ALBSA-Info] The Daily Telegraph

[Agron Alibali]

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH(LONDON) 
December 04, 2001, Tuesday 
 Pg. 02 



Release our people now, Greeks told 

By Neil Tweedie, Paul Anast and Ambrose Evans-Pritchard 

BODY: 
BRITAIN finally lost patience with Greece yesterday over the treatment of 12 British plane spotters accused of espionage, calling for their immediate release unless evidence was produced. 

In the Government's most forthright statement yet, Denis MacShane, the junior Foreign Office minister, said: "We're convinced there's no evidence of any crime that would be recognised as such in any other European Union country. We are very, very angry. "Plane spotting must be one of the most eccentric hobbies known to mankind but it is not an indication of ill-will or a threat to Greek national security. 

"Having had the worst days of their lives in a freezing cold Greek cell on concrete floors, they should now be on their way home for Christmas. If they have evidence, get it in front of a court tomorrow." 

But the Britons' lawyer, Yannis Zacharias, said a hearing to decide the party's fate, scheduled for tomorrow, might be postponed. 

He said the panel of three judges might meet privately this week but the Greek authorities had not guaranteed to inform him of the date. 

A Greek daily newspaper, Eleftheros, said there was a crisis in relations between London and Athens. It accused Britain of trying to damage Greek tourism and harm preparations for the 2004 Olympics. The Britons were arrested with two Dutchmen on Nov 8 during a visit to an airbase at Kalamata. They deny taking pictures in restricted areas and say serial numbers taken down at various locations were freely available in aircraft directories. 

Concern has focused on Lesley Coppin, 51, the only woman in the party, who is held in a women's prison near Athens. Mrs Coppin, a grandmother, whose husband, Paul, organised the trip through his company, Touchdown Tours, suffered an asthma attack last week after being forced to spend a night in a spartan holding cell. 

Yesterday, Peter Norris, one of the 12, spoke to The Daily Telegraph from prison. 

"This whole thing is wacko," he said. "Paul Coppin is now being accused of links to the Turks simply because he visited bases there earlier this year. The trip was totally above board, but the Greeks are paranoid about anything like that." 

Mr Norris, 52, from Uxbridge, west London, said: "We are all fine, but we don't get our hopes up any more. We'll believe we're out when we're out. The only real torture in here is Greek television, which I wouldn't wish on anyone." 

Meanwhile in Brussels, the Greek government was accused of violating Article 6 of the European Treaties which guarantees defendants the right to a fair trial in public within a reasonable period. 



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