Minor blast in Athens

Greek police said they were investigating a minor blast yesterday at a building belonging to a highways company which maintains Athens' new ring road, one of the infrastructure works for the August 13-29 Olympic Games. Police said the blast, in a...

Greek police said they were investigating a minor blast yesterday at a building belonging to a highways company which maintains Athens' new ring road, one of the infrastructure works for the August 13-29 Olympic Games. Police said the blast, in a toilet, was "caused by a home-made explosive device of minor strength".

The site of the blast in the western Athens district of Acharnes was not near any of the Olympic venues.

"An investigation is under way," the statement said. The building was empty at the time and no-one was injured, police said, adding they had received no warning or claim of responsibility.

Dozens of fringe groups, mainly self-styled anarchist or radical leftist bands, place small home-made explosive devices or gas canister firebombs around Athens, causing only minor material damage to shop fronts or entrances to buildings.

They are usually preceded by a warning call to local newspapers.

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