Greece: Far-Right Golden Dawn Boss Arrested

The leader of Greece's Golden Dawn party has been arrested in a crackdown on the group launched after the murder of a left-wing musician.

Nikos Michaloliakos, 56, was arrested along with Golden Dawn MP and spokesman Ilias Kassidiairis on charges of founding a "criminal organisation".

Three other senior party politicians and more than 10 party members have also been also detained.

The arrests come 11 days after the killing of activist rapper Pavlos Fyssas by an alleged Golden Dawn member.

Although the party has vehemently denied any role in Fyssas's death, it has apparently dented its appeal among Greek voters.

Golden Dawn expressed outrage at the arrests in a text message to journalists.

"We call upon everyone to support our moral and just struggle against the corrupt system! Everyone come to our offices!" it said.

Mr Mihaloliakos warned on Friday that the party may pull its 18 politicians from parliament if the crackdown does not stop.

The move would prompt by-elections that could hurt the coalition government of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, which has a slim majority of 155 MPs in the 300-seat parliament.

A formerly marginal organisation, Golden Dawn entered the Greek Parliament for the first time in May 2012, capitalising on Greece's deep financial crisis, rising crime and anti-immigrant sentiment, polling just under 7%. It has 18 deputies.

A government spokesman refused to comment on the details of the operation.

"Democracy can protect itself. Justice will do its job," Simos Kedikoglou told reporters.

Authorities also said they arrested a local Golden Dawn leader in an Athens suburb, as well as nine other unnamed party members.

In addition to Mr Michaloliakos and Mr Kassidiris, Golden Dawn deputy, Ilias Panayiotaros, gave himself up at police headquarters, telling police they were looking for him at a wrong address.

Another lawmaker, Yannis Lagos, has also been arrested.