A Parliament committee hearing on Wednesday turned emotional as opposition lawmakers and a relative of a victim of urban terrorists charged that a draft bill by the leftist government is essentially “tailored-made” to release a notorious “November 17” assassin from prison.

“We ask for democracy not to bow before terrorism”, was the statement by Giorgos Momferatos, whose publisher father was assassinated by the far-leftist terror gang in 1985.

In order to deflect growing criticism that the new government is “soft” on urban terrorism, the relevant Justice Minister, Nikos Paraskevopoulos, said an amendment in the proposed bill does not “photograph” Savvas Xiros, but another inmate, who has since died. Nevertheless, the minister said a total of … three inmates (sans the dead man) would benefit from proposed the legislation, one of whom is none other than Xiros.

Interestingly enough, he said prison conditions essentially “blinded” Xiros.

Savvas, one of three Xiros brothers convicted and jailed for their participation in the terror group, was severely injured when a bomb he was placing at the port of Piraeus exploded prematurely in June 2002. He has lost sight in his right eye, much of his vision in the left eye, a portion of his right hand and sustained irreparable hearing loss, amongst others.

“We stand before you with dignity, without occupations and violence, and we ask that you that democracy not to bow to terrorism … Xiros deserves every medical attention, but inside prison,” he said, calling on the relevant minister not to “promote humanitarianism” through prison releases.

ND deputy and former minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also hammered away at the draft bill.

“If only two incarcerated convicts have a high percentage of disability, what prevents you from caring for them inside prison? Give Savvas Xiros the conditions that allow for a dignified incarceration. I cannot comprehend how someone who has been sentenced to five life terms has the same treatment as someone convicted of one?”

Mitsotakis’ brother-in-law, well-known politician Pavlos Bakoyannis, was also gunned down by N17 assassins in 1989.