Letter from Greek anarchist Ilias Nikolau, from Amfissa prison

Infoshop News Feb 8, 2009

In the night of January 13th 2009, an incendiary device, composed of
gas canisters and gasoline, exploded in the entrance of the
commissariat of Evomos (region of Thessalonica), and damaged the
windows in the facade and the ventilation system. Shortly after, the
police arrested the 26 year old anarchist Ilias Nikolau, who does not
live far from there. Ilias was, together with Dimitra Sirianou and
Kostakis Halazas, subject of an arrest warrant for over a year,
concerning the same case as Vaggelis Botzatzis (on the accusation of
several arsons). Vaggelis was released on conditions on October 13th
2008.
On November 14th, during the agitations with the hunger strike in
Greek prisons, the 3 others went to the commissariat of Thessalonica,
accompanied by some hundred comrades. The day after, the judge
decided to let them await their trial in freedom. Currently Ilias is
accused for "explosion" (felon), "production" and "accomplishment"
(misdemeanours). Ilias does not acknowledge the accusations, nor
admits "having been caught red handed". The police raided his
parent's house, the place where he works, and stormed the house of
his grandmother out of the city. Ilias was brought to the prison of
Amfissa, this is a letter he wrote:

In the morning of January 13th I was arrested in the west of
Thessalonica, on the accusation of an explosion that took place at
the commissariat of the municipal police. This happened a year after,
an incredible accusation was created against me and three of my
comrades in November 2007. That accusation put one of us in prison,
and made three others escape. The witch hunt has started. We have
lived through a considerably warm December and a situation that shows
the lack of social peace clearly. Social peace only lives in the
imagination of those that cannot understand that reality is
characterized by a permanent civil war. With a revolutionary side
that rebels against this democratic monstrosity. Rage replaced fear
and instead of approval, negation appeared. The month of December, as
a sign for times to come, made a very clear devision between those
that feed the Power, maintain and defend it, and those that fight it.
Now is not the time to look back in nostalgia to the ashes that the
insurrection left on its path. We have to understand and express the
signs of the present and the future. The signs that already exist,
and those to come. The signs of a relentless social war. If we want
that moments of negation, revolt and dignity are lived, we have to
arm our hands and our desires, determined and organized. I resist
against those who think that manifestations and pacifist protest will
make a difference, because they're already dead. They drag their
corpses along the streets, in the unions and in the luxurious offices
of their bosses. I take place on the side of those who are led by
dignity and I join with those who feel the unchangeable will to
disrupt and to destroy this enormous cemetery. The prison is an added
step to a rebel. A step towards imprisonment. To all those who think
that they have overcome me, that they have overcome us... For me and
my comrades it works just the other way around! Because as long as
there are prisoners of war, we will continue to struggle.

I send warm and rebellious greetings to my comrades and to
revolutionaries everywhere. Freedom for all prisoners of the revolt.
Freedom for Yiannis Dimitrakis, Polis Georgiadis and Yiorgous
Voutsi-Vogiatzis and all the hostages of democracy.

Ilias Nikolau, Amfissa prison, 19th January 2009