ATHENS, Greece (AP) – A bomb planted near the office of Hellenic Train, the main Greek railway company, exploded in a busy district of Central Athens Friday night. There were no reports of injuries.
The explosion is among the widespread public in response to the 2023 railway disaster. It was Greece's worst, killing 57 people and further injured when a passenger train heading in the opposite direction from the freight train was accidentally placed on the same truck.
Local media said newspapers and news websites received an anonymous call shortly before the explosion on Friday. Callers warn that bombs will be planted outside the railway company's office and will explode within about 40 minutes.
In a statement, Helenic Train said the explosion occurred “very close to the central office” and that the explosion had limited damage and did not cause injuries to employees or passersby.
Authorities acted immediately upon receiving information regarding the warning call and said that the company is fully cooperating with the authorities to ensure the safety of its staff.
Police are away from the site along the main boulevard of the Greek capital, and have kept residents and tourists away from the buildings in the area with several bars and restaurants. Field officers said a bag containing the explosive device was placed near the Hellenic Train building on Syngrou Avenue.
Police forensic experts in white cobalts were gathering evidence at the scene.
Criticism of the government's handling of the February 28, 2023 clash in Tempe, northern Greece, has been mounted over the past few weeks in the wake of the second anniversary of the disaster.
The crash exposed serious flaws in the Greek railway system, including the safety system, causing mass protests to the country's conservative government, led by the victim's parents. Critics accused authorities of not holding political responsibility for the disaster, or held senior officials accountable.
So far, only railway personnel have been charged with crimes. Several protests in recent weeks have become violent, with demonstrators clashing with police.
Earlier on Friday, a heated debate in Congress over the railway accident led lawmakers to vote to introduce the former minister to the judicial authorities on alleged duties in his handling shortly after the accident.
The Hellenic Train said it “condemns all forms of violence and tension that are causing a toxic environment that undermines all progress.”
Greece has a long history of politically motivated violence dating back to the 1970s, with extremist groups in the country usually causing damage, but rarely leading to injuries.
The most active groups in the 1980s and 1990s have been dismantled, but new small groups have emerged. Last year, a man believed to be trying to assemble a bomb was killed when an explosive device exploded in an apartment in Central Athens. A woman in the apartment was seriously injured. The explosion has prompted Civil Protection Minister Mikalis Lisocoid to warn a new generation of domestic extremists.
