Pace of attacks rising
A car bomb blew up outside the Athens stock exchange on Wednesday, slightly injuring one woman, in what Greek police suspect was the latest attack by leftist or anarchist groups.
Here is a timeline of some major attacks in Greece over the last two years:
Jan. 2007 – Guerrillas fire a grenade at the U.S. embassy in Athens, hitting its facade.
April 2007 – Gunmen attack the Nea Ionia police station in Athens. In May, the Revolutionary Struggle group, which has emerged as Greece's most serious domestic security threat since the dismantling of the November 17 guerrilla group in 2002, claim responsibility for this and the January attack.
Oct. 24, 2008 – An attempted bomb attack outside Royal Dutch Shell's headquarters in the south of Athens, fails. The Revolutionary Struggle group later claim responsibility.
Jan. 5, 2009 – Weeks after the police shooting of a teenager in Dec. 2008, gunmen linked to the Revolutionary Struggle seriously wound a 21-year-old policeman guarding the Culture Ministry in Athens. They said it was in revenge for the death of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos.
Feb. 3 – Left-wing guerrillas from the Rebel Sect group fire shots and throw a grenade at a police station in Athens. A fortnight later, gunmen fire at least a dozen shots outside a private TV station, without injuring anyone in either attack.
March 4 – Arsonists throw gas canisters and firebombs causing a fire which seriously damages the Piraeus Bank branch in the northern Athens suburb of New Psychico.
March 11 – Revolutionary Struggle claim it was behind two bomb attacks at Citibank branches in Athens. One attack was outside the headquarters on Feb. 18 and the other, a bomb that went off outside a Citibank branch in Athens on March 10.
March 13 – A bomb explodes about 250 metres from Athens central police headquarters, causing serious damage to a state building and shops but no injuries. The leftist urban guerrilla group Popular Will later claims responsibility.
May 12 – A powerful bomb wrecks a Greek Eurobank branch in the outskirts of Athens. There are no injuries.
May 20 – A time bomb goes off outside the office of a Greek investment company, damaging three floors of the central Athens building. Popular Will says it planted the bomb.
May 19 – Two small time bombs explode at Greek police stations under construction, causing minor damage but no injuries. The leftist group Fire Conspiracy Cells later claims responsibility.
June 17 – A Greek anti-terrorism policeman is killed in Athens. He was shot several times at close range. On June 22, the far-left Rebel Sect urban guerrilla group claim the killing.
July 11 – A bomb explodes at the entrance to the home of former deputy minister Panagiotis Hinofotis in southern Athens, causing damage but no injuries. The Fire Conspiracy Cells group later claims responsibility.
Sept 2 – The Athens bourse is struck by a bomb causing extensive damage, but it opens for trading at the usual time.
— A home-made bomb explodes outside a government building in the northern city of Thessaloniki, causing minor damage.
