Golden Dawn leader Nikos Michaloliakos has been ordered to remain in custody pending trial.

Earlier, the leader of Greece’s neo-Nazi party defended himself before a magistrate on charges of setting up a criminal organization.

During a marathon session Michaloliakos denied the charges which he described as been politically-motivated.

“I feel sorry for the murder of [Pavlos] Fyssas,” Michaloliakos said of the 34-year-old rapper that was stabbed to death by a Golden Dawn member on September 17.

“I condemn [the murder], like I condemn violence in general. I am not a Nazi,” said the 56-year-old mathematician.

Michaloliakos said he had no knowledge if individual members of Golden Dawn have broken the law. But the activity of the party, he said, has been within the parameters of parliamentary politics