Greece: Domestic terrorists to blame for attack on U.S. Embassy
Militant left-wing group claims responsibility for shell fired at embassy building in Athens.
By The Associated PressATHENS, Greece - An anti-tank shell was fired at the U.S. Embassy early Friday, striking the front of the building but causing no injuries. Greece's Public Order Minister said the blast was probably an act of domestic terrorism - raising fears of resurgent violence by far-left Greek militants.
"It is very likely that this is the work of a domestic group," Vyron Polydoras said. "We believe this effort to revive terrorism is deplorable and will not succeed."
He said Greece "strongly condemns" the attack on the heavily guarded building - the first major attack against a U.S. target in Greece in more than a decade.
"We believe it is a symbolic act," Polydoras said. "It is an attempt to disrupt our country's international relations."
Polydoras said police were examining the authenticity of phone calls to a private security company claiming responsibility on behalf of a militant left-wing group.
"There are one or two telephone calls, from unknown callers, who claimed that the Revolutionary Struggle assumes responsibility," Polydoras said. "We cannot rule out that they were genuine."
Revolutionary Struggle claimed responsibility for a May 2006 bomb attack on Culture Minister Giorgos Voulgarakis, in which nobody was injured.
Police cordoned off streets around the building after the explosion shortly before 6 A.M. (0400 GMT). The shell struck the third floor - narrowly missing the embassy emblem - and smashed glass in nearby buildings.
Investigators were examining what they believed was the device used to fire the shell from a construction site near the embassy.
Embassy officials confirmed that an explosion had taken place and said that no one had been injured. U.S. ambassador Charles Ries said the damage was "not extensive."
"There can be no justification for such a senseless act of violence. ... The embassy was occupied at the time [but] nobody was hurt," he said.
Ries said there had been no warning of the attack.
"We're treating it as a very serious attack. We will determine what it is when we know [more]," he said.
Authorities were searching apartment buildings near the U.S. Embassy and a nearby hospital for evidence.
"At 5:58 A.M. an explosion was caused by a self-propelling shell, causing minor damage at the front of the building," a police statement said.
Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis visited the embassy after the blast.
"I came here to express the solidarity of the Greek people following this deplorable action," she said. "Such actions in the past have had a very heavy cost for the country. ... The Greek government is determined to undertake every effort to not allow such phenomena to be repeated in the future."
A U.S. State Department spokesman confirmed that the attack caused no injuries.
"There are no injuries or casualties of any kind," Kurtis Cooper said. "Police have responded. As a result the embassy will be closed today, Friday."
Polydoras, the Public Order Minister, said police would set up a special task force on the attack, headed by a former counterterrorism chief who eradicated the far-left November 17 group in 2002.
The group was blamed for killing 23 people - including U.S., British and Turkish officials - and dozens of bomb attacks.
In 2003, a special court gave multiple life sentences to November 17's leader, chief assassin and three other members. Lesser sentences were given to 10 others.
November 17 carried out a similar rocket attack against the U.S. Embassy in 1996, causing minor damage and no injuries.
Several obscure militant groups have appeared since the November 17 members were arrested.
Radical groups Revolutionary Struggle and Popular Revolutionary Action were blamed for the bombings of three government ministries in 2005.
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A Greek police officer asking the media to evacuate a short time after a rocket hit the U.S. embassy in Athens early on Friday. (AP) |
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There are bad seeds and bad seeds. this attack claimed no victims and barelly damaged the building. My country is at war with no one, always against US resolutions for war, condems Israeli action in the territories, against the war in Iraq. What I'm saying is that everyone is rushing to put this in terrorist attack category for some reason.It's a purely internal affair. We will not participate in any criminal wars such as Iraq,Lebanon,Afghanistan and God forbid Iran/Syria
Us has becoming a reactionary country under Bush. The whole world is watching. I trust the American renaissance. Do noy be so self-confident. Your country and constitution is in danger.
"I used the words, 'possible' and 'if'....which your post excludes in a very calculated manner" - Using such disclaimer words does not absolve you of your lazy and ignorant opinions, did you do regurgitate them from Fox News? "Greece's Revolutionary Struggle I wonder who signs their paychecks, hopefully they're not trained by Irans' Revolutionary Guards" - You just dont learn your lesson do you? I notice that Haaretz has updated this article and it seems as if my original post has been proven accurate.
This is a forum in a Zionist newspaper and not a way to improve your writing and composition thru mailing inane e-mails.
USA a 'reactionary country'? LOL. I will bet you don't even know what that word means. Sounds like you've been listening to too many old recordings of Communist leaders, which Nasser and the PLO just repeated verbatim without having a clue what they were talking about.
I am glad no one got killed or hurt. This looks like a symbolic attack. There are worse attacks happening in the middle east. Attacks on the innocent. Hate and violence will take us away from Peace and Justice. One Love
joke,making statements like those in post #41.when you get attacked like the usa was on 9/11 we might consider your point of view.until then,keep showing us how ignorant you really can be!
TM wrote "When you shoot rockets at a building and you know that there are people inside - that`s definitely terrorism." ................... I suppose you should know that, considering you belong to the MOTHER of terrorism "Israel" , and this mother of terrorism "Israel" is supported by the Grandmother of terrorism namely the most reactionary country on the surface of this earth the USA. Of course respect is due for David Grossman and all decent people like David.
Actually, The butler did it.
Learn from my experience.
Her husband was murdered by the Anarcho-Communist group November 17. These people are the lowest of the low, and analogous to the like-minded Brigate Rosse and Bader-Meinhof (of the Entebbe fame).
You must be a hoax, a bad one I should think if you think that firing a missile into a building where civilians of both US and Greek nationalities work or were on the premises seeking consular services. What would you say if you'd had been in the building at the time? Living in VT ( I assume it is Vermont, USA) you have a lot of gall to express your moronic assessment of what exactly is " venting anger". If on the other hand you are a bad joke, I apologize.
What does Greece and the American Consulate have to do with Afghanistan and Iraq? This was a cowardly unjustifiable act. Love it or leave it, Simone.
Quote me in context when you do quote me or your bias comes through! I used the words, "possible" and "if" in my post regarding Iranian involvement and the article used "probable" in reference to domestic terrorists; info which your post excludes in a very calculated manner. Hopefully further investigation will uncover who actually was behind it. However, your friends in the Iranian regime always plead innocence and justify their expenditure of hundreds of millions of dollars per year on foreign terror groups as a Persian "religious" export. If this hit was done by Greece's Revolutionary Struggle I wonder who signs their paychecks. Hopefully they're not trained by Iran's Revolutionary Guards and paid handsomely by the regime's Revolutionary Council.
What's up, GreekMan? Are you suddenly offended? Don't take it personally, look at the bigger picture. I have nothing against your country and your people, God forbid! But you have to admit that there are bad seeds in any country, yours or mine. Can you argue with that?
You guys! There is a difference between a military campaign and some dude shooting a rocket at cleaning ladies inside of the embassy building (who else would be there at 6 am? Plus those ladies are most likely Greek!) Proud Greek talkbackers, ask Dora Bakoyanni who killed her husband! Was it not terrorists? I lived in Greece for 2 years during the trial of the November 17 group and that's exactly what they were called in the media. So stop pretending that war on terror is foreign to you!
The difference is that the US and Israel do not hide their military personnel among civilians like terrorists do. There is absolutely no excuse to target US or Israeli civilians when the military is out in the open. Also, Israel aborts over 90% of planned attacks due to the risk of collateral damage. Accidents do happen along the way, but they are accidents. When you compare Israel's record to other countries fighting terrorists you will find their collateral damage rate is extremely low.
Put them in jail and make them eat NYC Greek coffee shop prepared hamburgers for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Every day. I know it's a death sentence more or less but it is a creative one.
Your post humiliates me! Please let me know where you live so I can vent my anger.
Thanks for sharing this real gem of wisdom, filled (I am sure) with elaborate study of the 100 years of Canadian history whose highlight is : a) Mounted Police b) Bilingual Quebec c) ... please fill in Get real: these guys have achieved publicity, attention and 15' of fame, 0 injuries, 0 fatalities. Care 2 compare avg crime of Quebec vs Athens ????
Lets face it pete: Greek History and Greek Culture old and new is not your strong point! So dont bother with it you dont understand it. Now if 'leftist globalism' is to send occasionally rockets to empty toilets of an embassy is very bad of course but infinitely less worse than global imperialism where the boms are falling on houses full with people!
That's exactly what I saw. PS. It Sounds LIKE YOU ARE LIVING IN IRAN!
During your recent aggression on Lebanon, a Europe-wide survey was carried out. According to its findings, Greece was the country on top of the list of European nations opposing Israeli aggression. And they are against the aggressions of your patron-in-chief (USA) too. Viva great People of Greece !!!!!!!!!!!!!
The greeks were once at the center of civilization and modern thinking. But that was a long time ago and today they are lost and confused at how such a once great nation could basicallly turn to dust. so now they turn to leftist globalism and petty acts of terrorism to fill the void. A lesson to all civilization.
at a building and you know theres people inside that are not shooting back at you,or not ,or trying to kill you,or thats in an ongoing war with you,that definitely terrorism.hope this helps explain it to your feeble mind a little better.
"When you shoot rockets at a building and you know that there are people inside - that`s definitely terrorism." Isn't that what IDF/IAF is doing all the time in Gaza and WB? And the same goes for cars. Maybe you want to say that IDF/IAF only attacks buildings with Fatah/Hamas/Jihad operatives in it? But this was US embassy, with US operatives in it? Sorry, TM, your argument does not stand.
especially since saddam killed his people at random.his sons killed,over wanting someone elses girlfriend or wife.in afganistan,the taliban is crossing the pakistian border,killing teachers and blowing up schools,just to keep the population uneducated,or educated the way they want them! the taliban,which you must think so highly of, will kill a female child before they let her have an education.now,why dont you tell all of us what you would have done about the taliban supporting bin laden,after 9/11?im assuming you would have passed out candy,correct?
Countries have embassies to improve diplomatic relations. Greece has an embassy in the US. Should someone bomb your embassy?
What was the excuse before the invasion?
If thats how you feel, then what are you the doing reading a Jew-Zionist website newspaper? If you are not interested in hearing what the victims of real terrorism (as opposed to your imagined terrorism) have to say, then you should stick to reading the Socialist Souvlaki Times.
This is definitely the work of Islamist-Jihadist terrorists under the guise of leftists. What a deception!
The USA refuses to define terrorism because it knows that many of its actions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia would fall under such definition. TM says "When you shoot rockets at a building and you know that there are people inside - that`s definitely terrorism". I agree with you TM. Now, can you count the times the US bombed buildings, villages, bridges, power stations, etc, when it knew darn well that they had civilian people in/on them? How can the US fight "something" that it can't define? No wonder they're not having much luck in Iraq and Afghanistan. The poor American GIs just don't know what/who to fight!
It would be too horrible for Greece to admit that this action was conducted by Islam Fundamentalists. Just like what happened during the early hours of Madrid Bombings (2005), when ETA was to blame.
Hey Yosemite, what exactly did you see in my country 30 years ago ? You saw a people who resented (and still resent) US politics. Are we the only ones ? The whole world hates US machismo, the brutal and vulgar use of force,US hypocricy and self-righteousness and your double standards (Saddam got what he deserved however Chile's Pinochet died peacefully in his bed). Seriously, you should sit and think if G W Bush is good for your country or for the world. Yanni, a Greek Jew
"When you shoot rockets at a building and you know that there are people inside - that`s definitely terrorism." This means, Usrael is the biggest terrorist ever.
The Greek right did it to embarrass the left. No, the Greek left to embarrass the right. No, the Chinese to get lower oil prices. No, the Tamil Tigers so ETA would get blamed. No, a team of CIA and Mossad, disguised as Hizbullah masquerading as Shining Path to get Peru to recognize Hugo Chavez. No, the zionists to bring sympathy for the door of the embassy which was actually made in Israel. No, Haaretz editors to stir the pot. No,Jimmy Carter to divert attention from Alan Dershowitz. No, Alan Dershowitz to divert attention to himself. It's a mystery. It was actually a stray Qassam that caught a ride on wings of eagles, missed Sderot and made it all the way to Athens. (Of course that's what the gnomes of Zurich want you to think.......)
Don't meddle with our affairs.do not attempt do call this terrorism in order to get as in your criminal so-called "war on terror". You say its terrorism when u hit a building with ppl inside? and when u bomb entire cities with Tomahawks? what do you call it?
the loons are out today!
That's not exactly a a country that prides itself on being Pro-USA. If that's an old building like I think it is, I would recommend the USA build another a lot more fortified. I don't trust Greek people on account of what I saw there about 30 years ago.
That American-Zionist embassy is an occupied Greek-Socialist territory.
What else is it? Never mind frustration and all that stuff. The "look what you made me do" psychology is not an excuse! When you shoot rockets at a building and you know that there are people inside - that's definitely terrorism.
Just look what she/he/it writes: "...This is not terrorism. The activists were purely venting their anger and humiliation regarding the brutal U.S. occupation of Iraq and Afganistan..." For 9/11 that scoumdrel Simone Palmer has the similar explanation and justification.
"Iranian proxy tit for tat hit" - Yes it all comes back to Iran even though investigators in Greece believe this is the work of 'November 17' and its once again active Marxist movement. I guess its hard to keep up with the people that hate you.
at you, Europe, it is the Islamists, the front troopers of Pan Islam, al-Qaida and Iran, representing two different brands of Islam.
Too early to say but the timing is somewhat suspicious so shortly after the recent 3AM grand tour US soldiers had of Iran's consulate in Irbil. If it was such a proxy hit, this may be an indication as to how extensive Iranian international terror hotlines are and how quickly they can be activated when needed.
This is not terrorism. The activists were purely venting their anger and humiliation regarding the brutal U.S. occupation of Iraq and Afganistan.