Bomb explodes in Greece

A time bomb exploded outside McDonalds restaurant in central Athens early Friday, causing extensive damage in what Greek authorities suspect was an attack by resurgent far-left terrorists.

Police said the bomb went off at 4:37 a.m. (0147 GMT) in the central Ambelokipi district, when the fast food restaurant was closed. Anonymous warning calls made to two Athens newspapers before the attack allowed officers to cordon off the area before the explosion, and there were no injuries.

The blast shattered windows in nearby shops and apartment blocks, leaving broken glass and dead pigeons on pavements.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but police spokesman Panagiotis Stathis said police suspect a group that calls itself Revolutionary Struggle.

The group, which the U.S. designated as an international terrorist organization in May, has carried out more than a dozen bomb and shooting attacks since 2003, including a bloodless 2007 rocket attack on the U.S. Embassy in Athens.

In January, the group claimed responsibility for a shooting attack that severely wounded a riot policeman guarding a ministry building in central Athens.

Stathis said Friday’s attack was clearly aimed at the McDonalds restaurant.

“The McDonalds restaurant was definitely the target,” Stathis said. “The bomb was placed under a wheelchair ramp outside it. The warning call also named the restaurant.”

Shortly afterwards, an incendiary device consisting of camping gas canisters exploded outside an Athens immigration policy center, while a similar device went off outside the office of former public order minister Sifis Valyrakis. Neither of those attacks caused any injuries.

Greek militants have stepped up attacks following the fatal police shooting of an Athens teenager in December, which sparked the country’s worst rioting in decades.

In the bloodiest incident so far, gunmen shot dead an anti-terrorist officer guarding a witness in Athens on June 17.

Small anarchist groups have also intensified arson attacks on symbols of wealth and state power, to protest government social and economic policies.

NICHOLAS PAPHITIS
Associated Press Writer
Friday, July 03, 2009

Tags: Greece

This news story was posted on Saturday, July 4th, 2009 at 8:32 am and is filed under Greece. You can follow any responses to this news story through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.