Bomb explodes in Greek capital
January 16th, 2010 - 7:09 am ICT by IANSAthens, Jan 16 (DPA) A powerful explosion went off at the Ministry of Press and Information in Athens Saturday, causing extensive damage but no injuries, reports said.
The explosion, the second in one week, caused panicked residents to run onto the street in the residential area that houses the ministry near central Athens.
Police said the mechanical device went off nearly 12 minutes after an unknown caller contacted two private television stations, warning of the explosion.
The bomb attack took place exactly one week after a leftist group claimed responsibility for another explosion outside the Greek Parliament, near the Monument of the Unknown Soldier.
The leftist group Fire Conspiracy Cells said in a statement posted on the Internet that it targeted the building to hit “the well-secured temple of democracy.”
Since police killed a 15-year-old demonstrator in December 2008, the Greek capital has been beset by violent protests and multiple bombings against police stations, banks and state agencies.
The violence over the last year has left one policeman dead and seven wounded, some seriously.
The leftist group is known for small explosions using homemade gas cannister bombs targeting government buildings and politicians’ homes and offices.
- Bomb explodes outside offices of JP Morgan in Athens - Feb 17, 2010
- Parcel bomb addressed to the Mexican embassy explodes in Athens - Nov 01, 2010
- Parcel bomb detonated outside Greek justice ministry - Feb 02, 2011
- One injured in blast outside Greece's main prison - May 14, 2010
- Explosion shakes Athens - Dec 28, 2009
- More bombs targeting embassies in Greece explode, cause no casualties - Nov 02, 2010
- Greek minister escapes unhurt as bomb kills aide - Jun 25, 2010
- Report: Bomb intercepted at German Chancellor Merkel's office - Nov 03, 2010
- Greek capital witnesses three blasts in two days - Mar 21, 2010
- Three killed, six injured in bomb blast in Quetta - Oct 27, 2010
- Police detonate mail bomb outside Greece prison - Apr 01, 2011
- 20 held for taking over radio station in Greece - Jan 11, 2012
- Greek police discover terrorist hideout - Apr 20, 2010
- Blasts rock Kabul, Taliban target US embassy - Sep 13, 2011
- One cop killed, three injured in checkpoint bomb attack at Peshawar - Feb 08, 2011
Tags: athens police, bomb attack, bombs, central athens, demonstrator, explosion, explosions, government buildings, greek capital athens, greek parliament, leftist group, mechanical device, multiple bombings, police stations, policeman, private television, residential area, television stations, unknown soldier, violent protests
