Greece: Priest says his sons must pay for terror

The Greek Orthodox priest whose three sons were alleged executioners for the feared November 17 terrorist group said Saturday his children had turned away from God and must pay for their crimes.

Police, meanwhile, said two more men were picked up Saturday as they continued their sweep against the ultra-leftist terror band that operated with impunity in Greece for 27 years.

For three weeks, the Rev. Triandafyllos Xiros had insisted there was no connection between his family and November 17. But after police announced earlier this week that two sons had confessed to a string of murders, bombings and bank robberies, the priest who has 11 children appeared a broken man.

Jerusalem: Palestinians to receive Israel work permits

Israel said Saturday it was willing to take new measures to improve life for Palestinians provided attacks against Israelis end in a resumption of high-level talks that had been called off after bombings last week, Israeli officials and news reports said.

Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres told the Palestinians the 7,000 work permits would be issued in the coming days provided there were no attacks, Israel Army Radio said.

In addition, Israel said it was willing to extend the permitted fishing zone off the Gaza coast and to keep open Gaza’s Karni crossing point for longer periods to allow more merchandise to pass through, Army Radio said.

Pakistan: Kashmir infiltration must end, Briton says

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw pressed Pakistan on Saturday to bring a permanent end to infiltration by Islamic militants based on its soil into Indian-controlled Kashmir.

But Straw did not meet Pakistan’s president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf. Pakistani newspapers said Musharraf decided against such a meeting because his advisers consider Straw biased in favor of India.

The Briton was on a diplomatic mission to ease tensions that nearly erupted into war between the two nuclear-armed rivals last month.

He met with Pakistan’s minister of state for foreign affairs, Inamul Haq, before returning to New Delhi.

India and Pakistan moved to the brink of war after a Dec. 13 attack on the Indian Parliament that the Indians blamed on Pakistan-based Islamic militants.

Nigeria: Giant fire erupts at besieged terminal

A huge fire broke out Saturday at ChevronTexaco’s main oil terminal, days after unarmed village women ended a 10-day siege that crippled the oil giant’s Nigeria operations.

The blaze at the multimillion-dollar Escravos terminal in southeastern Nigeria was ignited by lightning, the company said. No one was hurt, the company said.

Meanwhile Saturday, unarmed women occupying at least four ChevronTexaco facilities in southeastern Nigeria said Saturday they had freed their two hostages in return for a promise from oil executives to meet with them.

The women, who live nearby, are demanding jobs for their relatives as well as electricity, water and other amenities. The protest follows a larger but similar action at ChevronTexaco’s main oil terminal.

Russia: Helicoptor crash kills border patrol guards

A helicopter carrying Russian border guards on Saturday crashed into a mountain in the southern region of Ingushetia, killing 12, officials said.

The Mi-8 helicopter hit Stolovaya mountain because of poor visibility, said Yuri Kolodkin, a duty officer for the Emergency Situations Ministry.