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Members of "Revolutionary Struggle" behind the bomb in Athens

11 April 2014 / 15:04:43  GRReporter
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The bombing in front of the Bank of Greece is very similar to previous attacks by the terrorist group "Revolutionary Struggle" according to the Greek anti-terrorism service. The symbolism of the target, the modus operandi of the terrorists and the type of the explosives used show a direct connection with the activities of members of the organization in which Nikos Maziotis and his partner Paula Roupa played a key role. They have gone underground and the authorities have been searching for them. A few months ago, they ceased to appear at the police station in compliance with the restriction measures imposed on them after their release from custody due to the expiration of the statutory period of 18 months.

The "Revolutionary Struggle" group had assumed responsibility for the attempted bombing of a car loaded with explosives at the headquarters of Citibank in Athens in February 2009. This was the first attack carried out in this way after the breaking up of the terrorist organization "17 November" in 2002. For this purpose, the attackers had turned a stolen Mazda 323 car into a moving bomb. The explosive used was AMFO, the same as in yesterday's attack on the Bank of Greece.

The members of "Revolutionary Struggle" used bombs made ​​from oil-soaked ammonium nitrate (AMFO) in other attacks too, namely against a Eurobank branch in May 2009 and against the Greek Stock Exchange in September 2009.

According to an anti-terrorist officer, the Bank of Greece and the office of the International Monetary Fund in Athens located on Amerikis Street, where the car that exploded yesterday was parked, are among the permanent targets of the terrorist couple. They themselves had shown this by the manifests of "Revolutionary Struggle", which were common in the period 2003-2009.

Among the details that indicate the methods of the group is the fact that the attackers had not abandoned the motorcycles on which they escaped from the site of attack. Security cameras from surrounding buildings had detected the presence of two motorists near the site of the explosion. It is believed that they were the driver of the car with the explosives and two other people who were there to assist him.

In addition to the modus operandi, the symbolic connection of Maziotis and Roupa with the attack cannot be ignored either: namely that yesterday, 10 April, marked four years since their capture and the breaking up of "Revolutionary Struggle".

This January the Greek government announced a reward for anyone who can give information on the whereabouts of the terrorist couple. The Greek police suspected that they had been involved in the attack on the headquarters of New Democracy and the residence of the German Ambassador in Athens in the suburb of Halandri. Later, the previously unknown "Group of People’s Fighters - OLA" assumed responsibility for the attacks. Maziotis himself denied his involvement in the attacks in a letter published on Indymedia website that is famous for its links with the anarchist circles.

At the same time, the police consider unfounded the theory that former member of "17 November" Xiros Christodoulos, who is also wanted by the authorities after failing to return from a leave from prison, was the originator of the attack.

 

 

Tags: Crime newsAttackBank of GreeceTerroristsRevolutionary StruggleNikos MaziotisPaula Roupa
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