Athens: Suspected domestic terrorists exploded a car bomb outside a Bank of Greece building in the heart of Athens on Thursday, causing damage but no injuries in a brazen attack hours before a landmark bond issue by the financially struggling country.
No group claimed responsibility for the 6 a.m. (local time) explosion, which shattered windows in the central bank branch and buildings up to 200 metres away, and left the charred remnants of a car with only two wheels recognisable. The attack hit a largely commercial zone with a large shopping mall and banks, a few blocks from the Greek parliament. It came one day ahead of a visit to Athens by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country is the largest single contributor to Greece’s bailout programme. Police said two anonymous calls – to a news website and a newspaper – gave a 45-minute warning. Apart from a couple of security guards, nobody else was in the immediate area, which police swiftly cordoned off.
Forensic experts began combing through the blast site, while gaggles of office workers unable to get to their offices gathered in nearby cafes. An officer said the size and composition of the bomb were still unclear, and the anti-terrorism squad was taking over the case. He spoke on condition of anonymity, as the investigation is still at a very early stage. (Agencies)