Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ATHENS799
2009-05-14 12:43:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Athens
Cable title:
GREEK TERRORISTS BLOW UP BANK
how-toVZCZCXRO4310 OO RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHTH #0799 1341241 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O R 141243Z MAY 09 FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0190 INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS
UNCLAS ATHENS 000799
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER ASEC ABLD PGOV GR
SUBJECT: GREEK TERRORISTS BLOW UP BANK
In the latest attack by domestic terrorist groups, at least four
individuals placed a powerful bomb that demolished a branch of
Eurobank in southeastern Athens and caused damage to surrounding
buildings and vehicles in the early hours of May 12. No injuries
were reported. The attack is widely seen as fitting the profile of
the terrorist organization Revolutionary Struggle, which attacked
the Embassy with an RPG in 2007 and has targeted a number of banks
in the months since the December 2008 riots. The Eurobank bombing
was preceded by the firebombing of an office of the DEI state power
company and its vehicles elsewhere in Athens a few hours earlier.
A routine police patrol -- described in different accounts as
border guards or the aliens division of the police, consisting of
two or three officers -- chanced upon the terrorists while they
were placing the Eurobank bomb, but the terrorists pointed their
pistols at the patrol and escaped on motorcycles.
Opposition-leaning media have roundly criticized the police for
failing to capture the bombers in this encounter. Others have
defended the police and argued that a lack of political support has
left the police unwilling to take risks that could lead to
unintended deaths.
SPECKHARD