Speaking to M. Ignatiou, the US correspondent for Mega TV, a spokesperson for the US state department was quoted as saying:
“We are deeply concerned that the convicted terrorist Christodoulos Xiros, who was a key member of a terrorist organization 17th of November that killed five employees of the U.S. Mission to Greece, is missing following a leave from prison where he was serving six consecutive life sentences for murders. We are working with Greek officials on this case. We call on the Greek government to locate Xiros and send him to prison. The United States and Greece are partners in the fight against terrorism in all its forms and we will work closely with the Greek authorities to deal with those who use violence to achieve their goals.”
US officials will no doubt be bewildered as to how Christodoulos Xiros, convicted of such serious crimes, was ever allowed to leave prison. Despite November 17’s disruption in the early 2000s the US continues to include it on its list of Foreign Terror Organizations.