Letter bomb attacks put Athens on high alert

Police stands guards outside the Russian embassy in Athens. Photograph: Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images

Greek counter-terrorism officials have been put on high alert after a series of parcel bombs were sent to diplomatic missions and the parliament building in Athens.

After explosions at the Swiss and Russian embassies this morning, bomb squad units later detonated devices destined for the Bulgarian, Chilean and German consulates. Two mail bombs were also sent to Greece's 300-seat parliament building in Syntagma square.

In each case the bombs were delivered by courier, according to police. No injuries were reported.

The attacks, attributed to home-grown terror groups rather than al-Qaida, came in the wake of a similar campaign against the Belgian, Dutch and Mexican embassies on Monday when two Greek men were also arrested .

One of Monday's booby-traps was addressed to the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy.

At least one of the detainees is believed to be linked to a radical group called the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire, which has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks against government buildings, banks and other targets, police said.

The group is part of a resurgent wave of anti-government attacks which have taken place since Greece was rocked by riots following the police shooting of a Athenian teenager in December 2008.

Yet despite the emergence of radical, anarchist-oriented organizations bent on targeting "symbols of capitalism", analysts were still flummoxed by the attacks – and the choice of targets.

Counter-terrorism officials said it was the first time that so many embassies had been targeted simultaneously and in such a brazen manner.

"Are they [attacks] aimed at testing our resolve or a sign of something more ominous to come?" said one security official, who did not want to be named. "We are not ruling out more attacks."

(source:guardian.co.uk)