Athens - A newly emerged terrorist group claimed responsibility on Tuesday for strong explosions that rocked the Greek capital Athens and the northern port city of Thessaloniki overnight, causing extensive damage to police stations, but no injuries. The pre-dawn attack at the entrance of a building where a new police station was to open next weekend in the district of Pentelis in Athens startled residents, who ran out of their homes in panic.
A similar explosion took place at a newly constructed police station in the northern port city of Thessaloniki.
Police received advanced warning of the explosions after an anonymous call was made to a newspaper, but officials did not have time to disarm the bomb and were only able to clear the area, the report said.
A newly emerged group calling itself the "Conspiracy Fire Corps of Athens-Thessaloniki" later claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Over the past few days a string of firebombings by suspected anarchists caused damage to at least two car dealerships and a handful of retail shops.
Greece has been plagued by daily bombings and arson attacks on banks and multinational businesses since the police shooting of a teenager in December 2008, which sparked the worst riots the country has seen in decades.
Officials believe the latest attack could be the work of left-wing militant groups, which have carried out other attacks targeting police, banks, government buildings and a private television station.
A far-left wing group called Revolutionary Struggle claimed responsibility for the shooting of a police officer in January in central Athens. The group is best known for firing a rocket-propelled grenade into the US embassy in Athens in 2007.
The violence has embarrassed Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis' government, which has been criticized for its inability to protect citizens.
The government has vowed to crack down on the increasing violence and has sought advice from Scotland Yard.
