Shots fired at German ambassador’s residence in Athens, nobody injured
More than 20 shots were fired at the gate of the German ambassador’s residence in Halandri, northeastern Athens, in a pre-dawn attack on Monday.
The raid took place at around 3.30 a.m. but did not cause any injuries or significant damage to the building on Ethnikis Antistaseos Street.
Police sources said that the guard at the residence of Ambassador Wolfgang Dold saw four people open fire at the gate using AK-47 assault rifles. Bullets were found embedded in the steel gate.
The Anti-terrorist squad is investigating the incident and has taken six people in for questioning. CCTV footage is also being examined.
Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and Public Order Minister Nikos Dendias have spoken to Ambassador Dold.
Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos also spoke with the German envoy, while Deputy Foreign Minister Wolfgang Dold visited the ambassador’s residence.
“As Mr. Venizelos told Mr. Dold, the Greek government expresses its abhorrence and utter condemnation of today’s cowardly act of terrorism, the sole and obvious target of which was Greece’s image abroad just a few days before the start of the Hellenic Presidency of the Council of the EU,” the Greek Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
It is the first time that the German ambassador’s residence has been a target for terrorists since May 1999, when members of November 17 fired a rocket at the building.
