Greek president condemns terrorist attack at Athens police station

Greek President Karolos Papoulias condemned the terrorist attack at an Athens police station on Tuesday night, in which six policemen were injured, according to the latest information.

"I condemn this coward terrorist act that has endangered human lives," the president said in a statement released from Thessaloniki, where he has traveled to attend Wednesday's national day military parade.

Two of the policemen were seriously injured in the terrorist attack that shocked Greeks. One citizen was also transferred to hospital in shock.

Three or four unidentified persons opened fire with AK- 47 assault riffles against a police station in the northern suburb of Aghia Paraskevi around 10:00 p.m. local time, as officers changed shifts.

They escaped on two motorcycles, according to witnesses, after having fired around 55 shots.

Police and the anti-terrorism unit are stilling gathering information and searching for the gunmen who are believed to be connected with far Left guerrilla groups that have made similar bloody attacks on police this year.

Newly elected socialist Prime Minister George Papandreou who has promised a crack down on domestic terrorism, is being continuously informed on developments from the first moments.

There was not immediate claim of responsibility for the shooting, but police sources point to two guerrilla groups which have made similar attacks on Athens police stations, Rebel Sect and Rebel Struggle.

Local militant, anarchist and far Left groups have stepped up attacks against police officers, political and financial targets, big business institutions and foreign enterprises since massive riots that broke out last December, after the death of a teenage boy in a police shooting.

An anti-terrorism officer guarding a witness' home in Athens was killed on June 17. The group Rebel Sect claimed responsibility for that attack.

Source: Xinhua