Greek authorities are probing the details of Friday night’s bomb blast outside Hellenic Train headquarters.
The explosive device detonated caused limited material damage and no injuries, as reported by the Hellenic Police.
According to the police announcement, an anonymous caller warned of the bomb in a phone call placed at 8:53 p.m. to EFSYN newspaper and the website zougla.gr. The caller stated that the device would explode within 35 to 40 minutes. Police immediately evacuated the area and diverted traffic.
As reported by the Hellenic Police, the device exploded at 9:30 p.m., before bomb disposal teams had time to neutralize it. A preliminary investigation is being conducted by the Directorate for Combating Special Violent Crimes.
According to News 24/7, pyrotechnicians from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Department were dispatched to the scene early on.
As reported by ERT, the device had been placed inside a padlocked backpack outside the offices.
Forensics officers investigate the area of a bomb blast outside the Hellenic Train offices, in Athens, Greece, April 11, 2025. REUTERS/Stelios Misinas
News 24/7 further noted that the explosive device bore similarities to a previous attack that occurred on February 3, 2024, on Stadiou Street, outside the Ministry of Labor. In that incident, the group “Revolutionary Class Self-Defense” had claimed responsibility. The latest device was reportedly of similar power, placed in a backpack with a padlock, and preceded by two warning calls — again with a time limit of 40 minutes.
Personnel from the forensic investigations and bomb disposal units collected remnants of the device for analysis at the Hellenic Police’s special laboratories, as reported by the authorities. Footage from local security cameras and a nearby traffic police camera is also being reviewed.
It is widely assumed that the bombing was directed at the Hellenic Train company in regards to the Tempi train crash. It was two trains (freight and passenger, respectively) operated by Hellenic Train that collided before midnight on Feb. 28, 2023, claiming the lives of 57 people.
According to a statement by the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Christos Dimas, “The bomb attack that took place today at the offices of Hellenic Train is an absolutely condemnable act. This is a criminal act, which endangered the lives of people, workers and passers-by, in a central location in Athens and during peak traffic hours. Nothing justifies terrorism, no act of violence brings justice.”
Hellenic Train confirmed the incident, stating that “the explosion occurred very close to its headquarters on Syggrou Avenue,” causing only “limited material damage, without any injuries — neither among the company’s employees nor among passing citizens.” The company added that it had cooperated with authorities from the beginning and “unequivocally condemns all forms of violence and tensions that fuel a climate of toxicity that undermines all progress.”
Forensics officers investigate the area of a bomb blast outside the Hellenic Train offices, in Athens, Greece, April 11, 2025. REUTERS/Stelios Misinas
SYRIZA, in its statement, also condemned the bombing “in the most categorical way,” while arguing that such actions “aim to distract public opinion from the real issue at stake, which is the search for the truth and justice for Tempi.” The party emphasized that “justice is not served this way” and called on authorities to thoroughly investigate the incident.
Similarly, the KKE stated that the attack “only serves those who want to get out of the way of the great popular movement that is demanding justice for the crime of Tempi.” According to the party, “recent major protests have disturbed many, who will use all means, from disorientation to provocation, to ‘collect’ the people from the streets. Their plans will come to nothing!”
