Former Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos was injured on Thursday, May 25, after opening a letter bomb in his car in central Athens, Kathimerini English reported.
Τωρα Γ Σεπτεμβρίου και Μάρνης . Αποκλεισμένη η περιοχή , ΕΛΑΣ και ΠΣ στο σημείο pic.twitter.com/XFtuuV4URz
— Makis Sinodinos (@MakisSinodinos) May 25, 2017
The state-run Athens News Agency reported the the former ECB Vice President underwent abdominal surgery in Evangelismos hospital, but Kathimerini English reported he suffered injuries to his hands and legs.
Letter bomb attack on ex-PM, ex-ECB VP Lucas Papademos comes three days after EU-IMF fail to agree on Greek debt relief at May 22 Eurogroup
— George Gilson (@ggathens) May 25, 2017
A police spokesperson said three people were injured in the blast. Kathimerini English reported those injured were Papademos, his driver and his bodyguard.
Two men injured in blast in ex-PM's car are Bank of #Greece employees, acc to police spox
— Kathimerini English Edition (@ekathimerini) May 25, 2017
Police have not yet confirmed the blast was caused by a letter bomb.
Car explosion injures former Greek PM Lucas Papademos, government calls incident an "attack" https://t.co/vHxd0GmVDw pic.twitter.com/pUwT95LpFS
— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) May 25, 2017
Earlier devices
On March 25 it was reported that an envelope containing explosive material addressed to a financial institution in Dublin was intercepted at mail sorting centre in France. A number of suspect letters or packages were discovered at the sorting centre.
The Conspiracy of Fire Cells, a Greek far-left group, claimed responsibility for a similar device addressed to German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble which was discovered in the mail room before it was opened on March 15.
On March 16, one person was injured at the Paris offices of the International Monetary Fund following a letter-bomb explosion in which one person was injured.
Both the Berlin and the Paris packages were likely sent from Greece. Both used the name of a Greek opposition lawmaker as sender and French investigators found “residues of Greek stamps.”
On March 21, Greek police intercepted eight parcel bombs an Athens postal office. The packages were addressed to European Union financial institutions and businesses in Athens.
In 2010, the Conspiracy of Fire Cells sent letter bombs to European politiciansincluding Angela Merkel, Nicolas Sarkozy and Silvio Berlusconi, and to former head of the European commission Jose Manuel Barroso, the former head of the European Commission.
The organisation was designated as a foreign terrorist group in October 2011, by the US Department of State.
