Bomb blast linked to failed December attack
A fingerprint on the bomb that was placed on the fence of the riot police camp in the Athens suburb of Kaisariani in December but was not detonated, as well as video footage of the Labor Ministry bombers’ movements on Saturday morning, are guiding police investigations into the two recent terrorist acts.
At the same time, the Hellenic Police (ELAS) is concerned about the prospect of another attack, possibly on a police target. According to reports, the police operations center (GADA) had been sending continual radio directives to patrolling police personnel to adopt “increased self-protection measures” over the previous 24 hours.
The bomb at the riot police headquarters was planted on December 18, 2023. It did not detonate due to a fault in the wiring and the device was transferred intact to the Criminal Investigation Department. During the investigation, a fingerprint was found inside the plastic container with the explosives, with officials appearing certain that it belonged to a person involved in the construction of the device.
It consisted of gelatine dynamite and military-grade C4 explosives. A similar composition is believed to have comprised the explosive used in the attack on the Labor Ministry.
Conclusions, however, will be drawn from the chemical treatment of the bomb remnants recovered from the site of Saturday’s attack.
Although the responsibility for the failed December attack on the riot police was claimed by the newly emerged Armed Proletarian Justice and, for the Labor Ministry, by the, also new, Revolutionary Class Self-Defense, it is believed that both events are connected and were carried out by people from the same pool.
Suspicions are directed at persons who have previously been active in the field of so-called armed violence and are now assisted by younger people who more easily pass under the radar of the law enforcement authorities and specifically the Anti-Terrorism Department.
To back up their assertions, security officials point to similarities in the bombers’ tactics in December and Saturday with previous attacks.
