Greek group warns tourists to stay away

A Greek radical group which claimed responsibility for a triple bombing in Athens last week has warned Western tourists to stay away from this summer's Olympics in the city.

The warning from Revolutionary Struggle coincided with an early morning bomb explosion outside a bank in Athens yesterday, believed to be the work of a separate group.

The blast outside an Alpha Bank caused minor damage and no casualties, but together with the discovery of another device outside a branch of British-based HSBC, it again rattled nerves about the safety of the August Games.

Revolutionary Struggle told the newspaper To Pontiki, in the first claim of responsibility, that last week's three bombs which damaged a police station but caused no casualties were a response to Olympic security plans.

"With regard to the Olympic Games we say that Greece's transformation into a fortress, Nato's involvement, the presence and activities of foreign intelligence units show clearly that (the Olympics) are not a festival like Games organisers say, but it's a war," it said in a statement sent to the newspaper.

"All members representing international capitalism, global mercenary killers and state officials, as well as well-off western Olympic tourists planning to be here, are not welcome."

Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said the blasts were isolated domestic incidents which did not affect Games security.

"We are preparing well for the safety of the Olympic Games in order to avoid and prevent any potential threat," Mr Karamanlis told reporters.

The bomb in yesterday's blast was made from a gas-type canister. Bomb squads also located a bag containing another similar home-made device that did not go off across the road from the HSBC branch.

The claim and latest blast came as Greek security forces started a crucial three-day Olympics safety drill three months before the start of the Games on August 13.

Olympic Guardian II, the eighth Olympic safety drill, involves eight key ministries as well as Games organisers and other services.

Greece is investing about €1 billion on security, several times the amount spent in the Sydney 2000 Games and will get Nato assistance in air and sea patrols.

In 2002, the government claimed victory over what was then considered the main Olympics security threat, when it arrested leading members of the November 17 leftist guerilla group.