Greek far-left hit man on hunger strike denied jail move

Greece’s government says it won’t intervene to grant a prison-transfer demand by a convicted killer in an extreme-left extremist group who has been on hunger strike for more than seven weeks, triggering public protests as well as arson attacks. Doctors treating Dimitris Koufodinas in intensive care say the 63-year-old suffered a “serious deterioration” several days after also refusing water. Koufodinas was the chief hit man in the now-defunct November 17 group and is serving 11 life sentences for the murders of prominent Greek businessmen and foreign embassy officials. About 2,500 people held a peaceful protest in support of Koufodinas through central Athens late Monday. A similar march was held in the northern port city of Thessaloniki.