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Greece: Head of far-right Golden Dawn party appears in court for preliminary hearing

Associated Press
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Leader of the extreme far-right Golden Dawn party, Nikos Michaloliakos, center, smiles toward his supporters as he escorted by anti-terror police upon his arrival to a court for a preliminary hearing into charges of participating in a criminal organization in Athens, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013. Three lawmakers from Greece's extremist right-wing Golden Dawn party were released from custody Wednesday pending trial, after they provided initial testimony in criminal investigation triggered by the slaying of a left-wing rapper. A fourth lawmaker, Ioannis Lagos, was jailed pending trial. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) (The Associated Press)

Lawmaker of the extreme far-right Golden Dawn party Nikos Michos celebrates raising his fist from a taxi window after a judicial authorities' decision to conditionally release him in Athens, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013. A Greek court released three lawmakers from Greece's extremist right-wing Golden Dawn party from custody pending trial, after they provided initial testimony in criminal investigation triggered by the slaying of a left-wing rapper. A fourth lawmaker, Ioannis Lagos, was jailed pending trial. (AP Photo/Fosphotos, Konstantinos Tsakalidis) (The Associated Press)

Leader of the extreme far-right Golden Dawn party, Nikos Michaloliakos, center, escorted by anti-terror police arrives to a court for a preliminary hearing into charges of participating in a criminal organization in Athens, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013. Three lawmakers from Greece's extremist right-wing Golden Dawn party were released from custody Wednesday pending trial, after they provided initial testimony in criminal investigation triggered by the slaying of a left-wing rapper. A fourth lawmaker, Ioannis Lagos, was jailed pending trial. (AP Photo/Dimitri Messinis) (The Associated Press)

An Athens court has ordered the head of Greece's extremist right-wing Golden Dawn party to be jailed pending trial on charges of running a criminal organization. The order is part of an investigation into his party triggered by the killing of a left-wing rapper.

Nikos Michaloliakos, who is a sitting member of Parliament, was ordered remanded in custody early Thursday, after overnight testimony that lasted for more than six hours.

On Wednesday, the court ordered the release of three party lawmakers and the jailing of a fourth in the same case. All have denied the charges against them.

Michaloliakos and five of his party lawmakers were among 20 people arrested over the weekend in a crackdown against the Nazi-inspired party following the Sept. 17 fatal stabbing of singer Pavlos Fyssas.