- Title: GREECE: Bomb explodes near home of government minister, wrecks cars
- Date: 30th May 2006
- Summary: (W2) ATHENS, GREECE (MAY 30, 2006) (REUTERS) WIDE SHOT POLICE BOMB SQUAD CONDUCTING INVESTIGATION AT SCENE; NEARBY CAR DAMAGED BY EXPLOSION PARKED ON STREET; WIDE SHOT POLICE SEARCHING THROUGH CAR STRUCK BY EXPLOSIVE DEVICE; CAR WHICH BOMB WAS PLACED UNDERNEATH, VARIOUS OF CAR SUFFERING HEAVY DAMAGE; VIEW OF CAR WHERE BOMB WAS PLACED UNDERNEATH AND STREET (MINISTER'S HOUS
- Embargoed: 14th June 2006 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Greece
- Country: Greece
- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
- Reuters ID: LVAAF6E6PS5CZTN3OJ46FMJIBXZY
- Story Text: A powerful bomb exploded near the home of a Greek government minister on Tuesday (May 30) damaging vehicles parked nearby, but causing no injuries, police said.
Police officials said the incident took place around 08:00 local time (05:00 gmt) when Culture Minister George Voulgarakis was still inside his home in a central Athens neighbourhood.
The device was placed underneath a parked car on the street close to the ministers home at a time when many are heading to work or taking their children to school in the capital.
The parked car suffered serious damage as well as the cars nearby. Police did not say what kind of explosive device it was but believed it was detonated by a timer.
The bomb squad and anti-terrorist forces were immediately called into the scene and were investigating the incident. Police cordoned off the street, beneath Lykabettus Hill in Athens, a familiar landmark in the city, while police helicopters scoured the area.
Voulgarakis, leaving his home after the explosion told reporters he had spoken with the Prime Minister and said "every bomb is a bomb against democracy itself". The minister's home was guarded by security guards.
Voulgarakis was the former minister of Public Order until February, handling security issues for the country including protection of the 2004 Olympic Games, and his move to the culture ministry in a cabinet reshuffle was widely seen as a demotion for a phone tapping scandal that rocked Greece for weeks, after it was discovered the prime ministers phone and other top officials lines were being tapped by unknown perpetrators.
The minister is also under pressure over claims made by 28 Pakistani immigrants, who said they were abducted and tortured by Greek authorities at unknown locations after last year's London suicide bombings.
Voulgarakis had denied the incident took place, drawing critisism from opposition parties.
Major bomb attacks have become a rarity in Greece since the leaders of the deadly November 17 urban guerrilla group was captured and convicted before the 2004 Athens Olympics.
The group killed 23 people in 27 years of drive-by shootings and precision bomb attacks.
Several small leftist and anarchist groups still hurl petrol bombs or stage makeshift gas canister bomb attacks against Greek and foreign targets, but their attacks usually cause no injuries and only minor damage.
Voulgarakis was also targeted in 2003, when he was an opposition conservative New Democracy party deputy. A gas canister bomb destroyed cars parked under his building and police had to evacuate his family and put out the fire.
Police said Voulgarakis was among a list of senior government officials considered possible targets and a police bomb squad was conducting the daily check of his street shortly before the explosion. END - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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