Greek PM condemns terrorist attack outside Parliament building

Democracy can not be terrorized, Greece's Prime Minister George Papandreou said on Saturday evening, shortly after an unprecedented terrorist bomb attack occurred outside the Greek Parliament building in central Athens.

There were no injuries in the blast, which only caused minor damage, mainly broken windows. The home-made time bomb was reportedly placed in a dustbin only 30 meters from the Parliament building, and went off around 8 p.m. local time.

Police evacuated the area around Syntagma Square in 15 minutes, after an unidentified man made a warning phone call to a local newspaper.
It was the first time a guerrilla group targeted the Greek Parliament, located in one of the best guarded areas of the Greek capital.

As the Greek premier issued the laconic statement from his office inside the Parliament, Protection of Citizen Minister Michalis Chrisohoidis rushed to the scene. The minister observed that apparently the terrorists did not intend to cause casualties this time, but only meant to cause panic and terror.

"But we are not afraid and we don't get terrorized," Chrisohoidis said. "I assure you that the perpetrators will get arrested, as they deserve it."
Counterterrorist experts analyzed evidence gathered from what was left from the explosive device and footage from surveillance cameras, in an attempt to identify the terrorists. They believe that this attack was meant to be mostly symbolic.

Greek far Left groups have stepped up attacks since December 2008, after the fatal shooting of a teenager by police fire, and have threatened with more attacks against political and financial targets in the future.
Police were on alert in the past few weeks, because on Jan. 12 the socialist new government, which has promised a tough antiterrorist policy, celebrates its first 100 days in office.

On Dec. 27 there had been another terrorist attack at the offices of a Greek insurance company on a main Athens avenue, which caused severe damage to the building.

In that case police had also received a warning phone call a few minutes before the blast, and evacuated a full-packed cinema next to the offices.
A guerrilla group called "Conspiracy of Nuclei of Fire-Nihilists Sect" claimed responsibility for that attack, and counterterrorist experts believe that the same group is responsible for the attack outside the Parliament.