Evening star., 1947-07-09
Greece Arrests
1000 in Athens
.ToBar RedCoup
IAN. Tomorrow Was
Zero Hour for Revolt,
Minister Declares
BY the Assoeiufed Press

h1I1GINO, July S.-1ue 1lcch
government announced that
more than 1000 persons were
arrested in the Athens area
early today in raids aimed at
stamping out a Communist plot
to stage a revolution and spread
war throughout the entire coun-
try.
Minister of Public Order Napoleon
Zervas said the zero hour for the
Communist stroke was to have been
around am. tomorrow, when at
tacks were to have been staged
simultaneously in all parts OF
Greece, bringing the present noun
tain guerrilla warfare into urban
| centers.
Many Communists Flee.
Between 5000 and 1000 police,
gendarmes and soldiers staged the
lightning raids before dawn this
morning, Mr.. Zervas said. He added
that many important Communists
already had fled and either were
hiding in Athens or in the noun
tains.
Most of those arrested. he said,
will be taken to islands near Athens,
while the investigation continues.
The transport already has begun.
Some ringleaders, Mr.. Zervas added,
will remain in Athens to await hear
ings. Those not implicated in the
plot will be released and others
probably will be eXiled, officials said
A leftist leader who escaped ar
rest in the first raids declared:
They're making a clean sweep
assistant Secretary of State
Norman Armour said today that
the Greek governments roundup
appears to be an internal matter
with Greece. He said the United
| States is counting on the Greek
government to do its utmost to
preserve law and order, but that
/ the specific steps taken are
matter for the Greek government
to decide)
tVG ScSfCi"i Lay
| In his statement, Mr.. zervas said:
| For several days the government
has been on the trail of Com
munist plot designed at transferring
the whole guerrilla warfare to urban
centers of Greece.
This was absolutely in connection
with Communist plans to establish
free state within Greece. The
procedure is easy to understand.
Before creating such government
the Communists wanted to create
in Greece a state of general civil
war so that this eventual govern
ment would appear not only as
representing and controlling the
bandits in the mountains but also
controlling the forces fighting in the
large cities.
According to this plan the revo-
luton was ready to start in Athens
at / am. July TO- Orders already
were given for distribution of arms
to military units of the Communist
party. The entire illegal machinery
of the party chat which functions
underground was put into motion.
No Homes Searched.
The government has many more
details cocerning the plot, but these
details are not made public now
because it might interfere with sub
sequent developments. Those ar
rests and inquiries which will follow
have absolutely no connection with
present emergency laws. They are
regular arrests made under prevail
ing civil laws and prosecutions will
be carried out in civil courts. Most
of those arrested will be taken out
of Athens to islands near the city
to facilitate the work of the author
tiles Some of the ringleaders,
however, will remain in Athens.
This transport already has started.
"The whole operation was started
this morning at am. and the first
arrests were made at am. No
searches of homes were made, in
order not to disturb families and,
lose time. Between 5000 and 1000
police, gendarmerie and military
units took part in the raid.
During the past few days the
government observers noted many
important party members left this
vicinity We are certain these have
gone either to the mountains, or are
hiding in Athens.
The Communist Party, which in
(See GREECE, Page A-6)