US imposes sanctions on members of Greek rebel groups

The United States on Tuesday slapped sanctions on key members of two Greek rebel groups, one day after voicing concern to Athens about the possible release of some disabled militants from jail.

The State Department blacklisted Christodoulos Xiros and Nikolaos Maziotis, freezing all of their assets under U.S. jurisdiction and barring Americans from doing business with them.

The department described Xiros as one of the chief assassins of November 17, a now-disbanded urban guerrilla organization in Greece blamed for many attacks on U.S., British, Turkish and Greek targets.

Maziotis is called the leader of Revolutionary Struggle, another rebel group known for its attacks on Greek government buildings and the U.S. embassy in Athens, the Greek capital.

Both men are in custody in Greece after being recaptured following their escape.

Greece's parliament approved last Friday a controversial bill allowing disabled inmates to stay under house arrest, prompting Washington to raise concerns about the release from jail of Savvas Xiros, Christodoulos' brother.

A key member of November 17, Savvas was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2003 for his role in dozens of killings, bomb attacks and robberies.

In his meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias Monday at the State Department, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry voiced concern about the bill and called for continuing imprisonment of those "who have committed acts of terrorism."