Nikos Maziotis, leader of the urban guerrilla group Revolutionary Struggle, was released from prison on Monday after serving 14 years of a multiple life sentence for his role in the organization’s activities.
Maziotis was originally arrested alongside six other Revolutionary Struggle members in 2010, but he violated the terms of his conditional release in 2012 and disappeared during his trial. While still leading the group from hiding, he claimed responsibility in April 2014 for a bombing targeting the central bank’s branch offices in downtown Athens. He was recaptured by police on July 16, 2014, following a dramatic shootout in Athens’ central tourist district that left four people injured.
The U.S. State Department designated Revolutionary Struggle a foreign terrorist organization on May 18, 2009. The group is perhaps best known for a rocket-propelled grenade attack on the U.S. Embassy in Athens in 2007.
Following news of his release, the State Department confirmed that Maziotis remains barred from entering the United States under visa restrictions aimed at far-left terrorists. In a post on X, the State Department described Maziotis as the former head of a Greek far-left terrorist organization that carried out a sustained campaign of violence against both Greek and American targets, stating that foreigners who support such violence have no place in the country.
Nikos Maziotis was the leader of Revolutionary Struggle, a Greek far-left terrorist group that waged a sustained campaign of violence against Greeks and Americans alike.
Maziotis is due to be released from prison today. But he is barred from entering the United States under our…
— Department of State (@StateDept) September 14, 2026
Part of Rubio’s Broader Visa Crackdown
The decision falls under a wider visa-restriction policy that Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on July 16, 2026. That policy targets foreigners the U.S. government says participate in or support organizations Washington classifies as far-left terrorist groups, placing Maziotis’s case within a broader pattern of enforcement rather than a standalone decision.
A Separate, Pre-Existing Sanctions Status
Notably, this new visa ban is legally distinct from another U.S. designation Maziotis has carried since April 2015, when the State Department labeled him a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist.” That earlier classification carries its own set of consequences, including the freezing of any assets he holds under U.S. jurisdiction and a prohibition on American citizens or entities conducting transactions with him. In effect, Maziotis is now subject to two separate U.S. measures: a years-old sanctions designation restricting his financial dealings, and a fresh entry ban tied to the new visa policy.
US Ambassador: “No Place in a Civilized Society”
U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle also weighed in on the release, writing on X that Maziotis’s release after 14 years behind bars serves as a reminder of the need to remain vigilant against the threat of political violence. She described Maziotis and his associates as left-wing terrorists who have no place in a civilized society, calling their past actions deserving of complete and total condemnation.
Guilfoyle added that the U.S. would never return to an era of assassination attempts, shootings, and bombings, and vowed that efforts toward justice would continue without pause. She also expressed solidarity with victims of terrorism worldwide and voiced appreciation for the ongoing work of Greek law enforcement in preventing terrorist attacks and bringing perpetrators to justice.
The release of unrepentant terrorist Nikos Maziotis after 14 years in prison is a reminder of the need to remain vigilant against the threat of political violence. Maziotis and his fellow left-wing terrorists have no place in a civilized society. Their barbaric actions deserve… https://t.co/7p1qHi8vjA
— Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle (@USAmbassadorGR) September 15, 2026
