Subject: Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-03-11 From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" CONTENTS [01] Special guard confesses to murder of Kastoria taxi driver; was the one who shot Maziotis [02] Activists hold protest rally in Thessaloniki in support of suspects in gold mine arson --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [01] Special guard confesses to murder of Kastoria taxi driver; was the one who shot Maziotis A special guard arrested for the murder of a 52-year-old taxi driver in the northern city of Kastoria is the same person who shot and arrested Nikos Maziotis, a leading member of the Revolutionary Struggle terrorist organization, during a shootout in central Athens in 2014. The guard confessed to killing the taxi driver with his private .45 pistol saying the motive was to steal the victim because he is facing economic problems but police sources said the victim had not been robbed and nothing was missing from the taxi. Police is investigating all possibilities as they have not been convinced by his explanations. The accused was revealed due to the taxi GPS which showed the drivers' last ride and which led to a property owned by the special guard. The 30-year-old suspect had filed a request to be transferred to his hometown of Kastoria, saying he was concerned about possible revenge strikes by supporters of Maziotis, after his arrest. He had served with secondment at the Crime Prevention and Suppression Group. [02] Activists hold protest rally in Thessaloniki in support of suspects in gold mine arson Members of two anti-mining groups from Halkidiki and Thessaloniki held a protest rally in central Thessaloniki on Saturday in support of 21 people accused of participating in the torching of a goldmine in Halkidiki, who are expected to appear before the court on Monday. In February 2013, dozens of masked intruders raided Canadian company Eldorado Gold's subsidiary "Hellenic Gold's" operation in northern Greece setting fire to machinery, vehicles and offices. Activists held banners that read "We are fighting for the future of our land and they're dragging us to courts" and "Society is on trial", and held large black balloons on which they had written the words "asbestos", "cyanide", "toxic dust", "quartz". Some participants tied themselves around a large tree trunk laid on a farm vehicle and crossed the city center. "On Monday, Thessaloniki's court will hear from the alleged perpetrators of the arson in Skouries and society must stand by those people," Aristotelis mayor Giorgos Zoumbas said. "They are accused of participating in a movement against the irrational expansion of mining activity." A new protest rally is planned for Monday, outside Thessaloniki's courthouse.