Bomb blast rocks Athens

A powerful bomb has exploded outside a prison in the Greek capital Athens. The area had been evacuated after an anonymous tip-off and only two people were slightly injured. Bomb blast rocks Athens But the blast ripped through dozens of local shops and homes. Police described it as the biggest bomb they had seen in years. The device was thought to have been placed in a bin close to the wall of Athens’ main prison, where several members of urban guerrilla groups are serving sentences. The attack comes six weeks after a 15-year old boy was killed in a bombing in the city. Hardline left-wing groups have been blamed for a series of explosions in recent years. There was a wave of in urban violence in late 2008, when police shot and killed a teenager. This has been exacerbated by massive social unrest over the government’s plans to cut pay and raise taxes to fight Greece’s debt crisis. During a march last week, three people including a pregnant woman died after rioters petrol-bombed a bank in broad daylight in the city center.

Bomb blast rocks Athens

But the blast ripped through dozens of local shops and homes. Police described it as the biggest bomb they had seen in years.

The device was thought to have been placed in a bin close to the wall of Athens’ main prison, where several members of urban guerrilla groups are serving sentences.

The attack comes six weeks after a 15-year old boy was killed in a bombing in the city. Hardline left-wing groups have been blamed for a series of explosions in recent years.

There was a wave of in urban violence in late 2008, when police shot and killed a teenager.

This has been exacerbated by massive social unrest over the government’s plans to cut pay and raise taxes to fight Greece’s debt crisis.

During a march last week, three people including a pregnant woman died after rioters petrol-bombed a bank in broad daylight in the city center.