A 26-year-old man caught by Thessaloniki police early yesterday after allegedly planting an improvised explosive device outside a municipal police station is a known anti-establishment figure linked to a string of firebombings in the northern city in November 2007, police said.

Yesterday’s blast caused minor damage but no injuries. The 26-year-old was caught but a suspected accomplice eluded arrest.

The detainee and another two people linked to the 2007 arson hits on banks, car showrooms and other targets had been on conditional release pending trial after turning themselves in to police this last November. Police had been looking for them since the 2007 attacks, for which a 28-year-old student, Vangelis Bozatzis, was arrested. Bozatzis had been released pending trial, after a year in custody, a few days before the three men turned themselves in.