ATHENS, Greece – A powerful bomb blast ripped through central Athens, causing widespread damage to the city’s Labor ministry and raising concerns among authorities about a resurgence of terrorism in the country. The explosion, claimed by a new urban guerilla group known as the Revolutionary Class Self-Defense, shattered the steel-and-glass façade of the ministry and gutted offices as high as the sixth floor. Surveillance footage showed the horrifying blast, which thankfully did not result in any casualties.
The attack, the first of its kind in Athens in five years, has left security experts worried about the resurgence of terrorism in Greece. The country has had a history of terrorist attacks in the past, and authorities are now focused on preventing further violence and protecting the nation’s democracy.
Officials suspect that the new urban guerilla group may have recruited militant members from the remains of a disbanded terror group that terrorized the country 20 years ago. This attack, however, marked a significant escalation in violence, with at least 5 kilograms of explosives used in the blast.
Counterterrorism officials are now diligently working to track down the culprit, focusing on forensic evidence and surveillance footage of a man seen hanging a sack of explosives on a steel railing outside the ministry before fleeing the scene. Members of the group claimed responsibility for the attack through phone calls made to local media 40 minutes prior to the explosion.
As the country grapples with the aftermath of the attack, authorities are expecting the group to issue a proclamation explaining their motives. In the meantime, the fear of a potential follow-up attack looms, leaving investigators and the public on high alert.