An improvised bomb comprising several hundred grams of explosives caused serious damage to a cafe-bar in the central Athens district of Aghios Panteleimonas early yesterday, though no one was injured.

The explosion left a crater in the ground in front of the cafe and smashed the windows of adjacent apartment blocks, causing residents to run out into the street. Police were said to be investigating whether the attack, which wrecked the cafe’s facade and a parked car, was a settling of scores. According to sources, the cafe owner told officers that he had not received any threats, though his store was reportedly the target of a similar attack a few months ago.

Residents of the district, which has a large immigrant population, said the cafe was chiefly frequented by Albanians. Locals added, however, that they could not remember any recent disputes.