ROCKET GRENADE ATTACK ON EMBASSY ATHENS -- MINIMAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ATHENS 000077 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER GR SUBJECT: ROCKET GRENADE ATTACK ON EMBASSY ATHENS -- MINIMAL DAMAGE, NO CASUALTIES REF: A) RIES-OPCENTER TELCONS Classified By: AMBASSADOR CHARLES RIES. REASON: 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: At 0555 local time January 12, a rocket-propelled grenade struck the front of the Embassy. Damage was limited, there were no casualties. In an anonymous phone call, the anarchist terrorist group "Revolutionary Struggle" appears to have claimed responsibility. The grenade itself appears to be of Chinese or Korean origin, though details remain sketchy. GOG police and officials reacted immediately, with both Foreign Minister Bakoynannis and Minister of Public Order Polydoras visiting the Embassy and conducting press walk-outs with the Ambassador. Both later met with Prime Minister Karamalis. As of 11:00, the Embassy reopened for normal internal business, while restricting consular operations. Ambassador Ries, briefing both local and international press, has stressed that there can be no justification for such a senseless act of violence and the importance of finding those responsible. RSO report follows septel. END SUMMARY. RPG HITS THE EMBASSY IN THE EARLY MORNING ¶2. (C) At 5:55 a.m. on January 12, a rocket-propelled grenade hit the front of the Embassy, striking just above the prominently displayed Embassy seal. Damage was centered on a portion of the Ambassador's office lavatory; initial reports suggest that the RPG exploded as it hit the outside wall of the chancery. Damage was minimal; there were no casualties. ¶3. (C) The Embassy's on-duty security receptionist immediately notified RSO and MSGs of the blast. The evidence was secured and area treated as a crime scene. Three members of the police Emergency Squad arrived at the Embassy's main gate within minutes of their notification by the local guard force, as did the local fire brigade. Adjoining streets were closed to traffic. Greek EOD experts have cooperated with Embassy officials in processing the crime scene. ¶4. (C) At 7:27, the headquarters of the Brinks Security services (which coordinates the Embassy local guard force) received a call from an unknown male between 30-35 years of age. Speaking in Greek, he said the words "Revolutionary Struggle," which is interpreted as a claim of responsibility for the attack. Revolutionary Struggle is an anarchist leftist group, with suspected connections to known terrorist organization 17 November. GOG OFFICIALS VISIT EMBASSY, CONDEMN THE ATTACK . . . ¶5. (C) At approximately 8:35, Ambassador Ries briefed the press assembled near the front of the Embassy, stressing that there could be no justification for such a senseless act of violence. The response from Greek officials was immediate. Foreign Minister Bakoyannis called Ambassador Ries to assure him that every effort would be made to find those responsible. At 9:00, she came to the Embassy, inspected the damage, and held an impromptu press conference with the Ambassador outside the Embassy. Expressing the support of the Prime Minister and his cabinet, she stressed that such incidents have had high costs for Greece in the past -- economically as well as politically. She added that the Greek government was determined to exert every effort to find the perpetrators and to see to it that similar incidents cannot occur. She later told the Ambassador that she planned to write a letter to the Secretary on this issue. ¶6. (C) Minister of Public Order Polydoras visited twice, first with the investigative team at 7:05 a.m. and later to meet with the Ambassador. After speaking with the police team on site, he told the Ambassador that the grenade likely exploded outside as it hit the wall, rather than inside. From the writing on fragments at the scene, investigators believed the origin of the grenade was Chinese or Korean. ¶7. (C) Polydoras told the Ambassdor that the GOG would do its utmost to find those behind the attack. The GOG condemned the attack; it would also be important for other "political forces" to do the same. In a heated voice, Polydoras condemned those in the Greek "political framework" who provided ideological support and tolerance for such strikes. This was unacceptable for a NATO ally. In his statement to the press, Polydoras strongly condemned the attack, noting that a full investigation was underway. ¶8. (C) With both Bakoyannis and Polydoras, the Ambassador underscored that this attack was a reminder of an era both the U.S. and GOG hoped had been put behind us. For that reason, moral condemnation of the attack was essential, including in the press. The most important task: find and bring to justice those responsible. Bakoyannis and Polydoras planned to meet Prime Minister Karamanlis at 10:00 local to brief him on developments. . . . AS OTHER POLITICAL FIGURES ALSO OFFER SUPPORT ¶9. (C) Opposition PASOK leader (and former FM) Papandreou called the Ambassador at 9:30, condemning the attack and noting that he "thought we were over this." Expressing his hope that the government could handle the situation, Papandreou assured the Ambassador he would speak out publicly. PASOK spokesman Petros Efthymiou later issued a statement condemning the terrorist attack "in the strongest possible way." He added that "Terrorism in any form is abhorrent. The attack against the Embassy is against the interest of the country and the Greek people, and against the country's reputation." Efthimiou added that PASOK had worked to dismantle terrorism and November 17 in the past, and urged the government to work in the same direction. Former Minister of Public Order Voulgarakis, as well as many other members of Karmanlis' cabinet, have also called to offer sympathy and support. President Papoulias dispatched his Secretary-General to bring the Ambassador a personal message of solidarity. EMBASSY: OPEN FOR NORMAL INTERNAL OPERATIONS ¶10. (C) The Embassy re-opened for normal internal operations at 11:00 a.m., although we will not conduct normal consular business or visa issuance. Visitors to the Embassy will be limited to investigators and high-level officials. Congen Thessalonki remains closed for business on January 12. A warden message was distributed at approximately 10:15. RIES