260. Intelligence Information Cable1
Athens, March 9, 1967.
[document number not declassified]
COUNTRY
- Greece
DOI
- 15 February through 8 March 1967
SUBJECT
- Increased Activity of Group Advocating Dictatorship
ACQ
- [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] (8 March 1967) Field [document number not declassified]
SOURCE
- [1–1/2 lines of source text not declassified] source has provided generally reliable information on Greek military affairs for several years. He obtained this information from Spandidakis and Mitsakos.
- 1.
- Summary: On 6 March 1967, Chief of the Greek Army General Staff (GAGS) Lieutenant General Grigorios Spandidakis stated that within the past ten days various key officers have been on unofficial alert status, the first step in implementing “Ierax (Hawk) Number Two.” Spandidakis also said that since 15 February, 30 to 35 trusted middle-grade officers have been transferred to the Athens Military Command. Major General (Retired) Petros Mitsakos stated that Air Vice-Marshal Georgios Antonakos has ordered Chief of Air Force Security Lieutenant [Page 553] Colonel Ilias Tsasakos to keep in daily contact with key Air Force officers, all of whom have been briefed on the general objectives of “Ierax Number Two” and their specific duties in connection with it.
- 2.
- Spandidakis stated on 6 March 1967 that within the past ten days various key officers have been on unofficial alert status, the first step in implementing “Ierax (Hawk) Number Two”. (Field comment: According to Spandidakis, “Ierax Number Two” is a plan for the military take-over of Greece contingent upon the occurrence of another political crisis. In the event such a crisis occurs, the plan outlines the role of key military units which would be involved in the take-over. See [doucment number not declassified] (TDCSDB–315/03301–66)2 for additional details on this contingency plan). This unofficial alert status involves maintaining daily contact with Spandidakis and a “fairly high state of readiness for action in the units involved.” Spandidakis stated that the above is due to Palace uneasiness over the present situation. Key officers on unofficial alert status are GAGS G–2 Brigadier General Pavourgias Pangorgias, Commander of the 9th Division, Major General Sotirios Liarkkos, Commander of the 8th Division, Brigadier General Stamatios Syliros, and GAGS G–3 Chief Lieutenant Colonel Georgios Papadopoulos. Lesser officers involved are director of Spandidakis’ office Lieutenant Colonel Ioannis Lazaris, and Chief G–2 Athens Military Command Captain Konstantinos Kotinis.
- 3.
- Spandidakis also stated that since 15 February, 30 to 35 trusted middle-grade officers have been transferred to the Athens Military Command. Kotinis was in this category.
- 4.
- Mitsakos stated on 7 March that Antonakos, acting under the orders of King Constantine’s personal secretary, Major Mihail Arnaoutis [document number not declassified] (TDCSDB–315/03301–66) ordered Tsasakos to keep in daily contact with key Air Force security officers, all of whom have been briefed on the general objectives of “Ierax Number Two” and their specific duties in connection with it. (Source comment: The above action amounts to a low-key alert.)
- 5.
- Field dissem State Army Navy Air EUCOM CINCSOUTH (personal) CINCUSNAVEUR CINCMEAFSA USAREUR USAFE (also sent Paris, London, Rome).