A joint operation by Greek and US secret service officers in March 2003 led to the seizure of a large cache of explosives from the basement of the Iraqi Embassy in Athens, Kathimerini has learned.

“Operation Net” was launched just before the American invasion of Iraq after US authorities claimed to have been tipped off about the presence of a weapons cache in the embassy in Neo Psychico, sources have revealed. The informer is believed to be an Iraqi with links to the embassy.

Sources said a raid on the embassy unearthed explosive materials, car bombs, detonators, several guns and dozens of rounds of ammunition. Much of the material was “ready to use” while some was too old to be of any value, according to sources who said all the material was destroyed within a few weeks of discovery.

US secret services could not determine why the weapons cache had been kept at the embassy, although the possibility that it had been destined for use in a terrorist attack during the Athens 2004 Olympic Games has been ruled out.