Bomb blast at building of Greece's biggest TV network
Mon Dec 17, 2018 12:00:pm World
4.8K By Obiaks Blog
A powerful blast a from makeshift explosive device damaged the office building of one of Greece's biggest Television network, SKAI, in Athens, early Monday.
The windows of the building were visibly from the first to the sixth floors and offices wrecked by the blast which went off near the SKAI building at 2:35 a.m. (local time), 45 minutes after an anonymous telephone warning to another TV network.
The media group -which includes a radio station and is affiliated with the leading daily newspaper, Kathimerini- on it's website described the extent of the damage saying:
"The material damage is big on almost all floors, with the biggest seen on the third and fourth floors, where employees' offices are located," it said.
"The picture is disheartening. Suspended ceilings collapsed to the floor, glass windows broke to pieces."
"The terrorist attack will not discourage us..," it added, accusing the government of failing to do enough to protect the media despite "recurrent threats against the station.
Police said there were no casualties and cordoned off the neighbourhood in the Athens suburb of Neo Phaliro. They said the bomb had been placed near a fence around the building and smashed windows on the facade.
Anti-terrorist police opened an investigation into the attack focusing on Greek extremist groups.
At the moment, no group has claimed of responsibility. Footages on local media stations showed a cloud of smoke rising from the building after the loud blast.
The minister for civil protection, Olga Gerovassili, who visited the site with police called the attack on democracy, issuing a warning to people who "leave the way open to terrorism or fascism."
"Democracy, however, is shielded and of course not threatened," she added.
"Press freedom will not be terrorized by anyone," New Democracy party spokeswoman Maria Spyraki told SKAI.
Attacks targeting broadcasting groups, public companies, embassies, police and politicians has become a recurring theme in Greece.
The windows of the building were visibly from the first to the sixth floors and offices wrecked by the blast which went off near the SKAI building at 2:35 a.m. (local time), 45 minutes after an anonymous telephone warning to another TV network.
The media group -which includes a radio station and is affiliated with the leading daily newspaper, Kathimerini- on it's website described the extent of the damage saying:
"The material damage is big on almost all floors, with the biggest seen on the third and fourth floors, where employees' offices are located," it said.
"The picture is disheartening. Suspended ceilings collapsed to the floor, glass windows broke to pieces."
"The terrorist attack will not discourage us..," it added, accusing the government of failing to do enough to protect the media despite "recurrent threats against the station.
Police said there were no casualties and cordoned off the neighbourhood in the Athens suburb of Neo Phaliro. They said the bomb had been placed near a fence around the building and smashed windows on the facade.
Anti-terrorist police opened an investigation into the attack focusing on Greek extremist groups.
At the moment, no group has claimed of responsibility. Footages on local media stations showed a cloud of smoke rising from the building after the loud blast.
The minister for civil protection, Olga Gerovassili, who visited the site with police called the attack on democracy, issuing a warning to people who "leave the way open to terrorism or fascism."
"Democracy, however, is shielded and of course not threatened," she added.
"Press freedom will not be terrorized by anyone," New Democracy party spokeswoman Maria Spyraki told SKAI.
Attacks targeting broadcasting groups, public companies, embassies, police and politicians has become a recurring theme in Greece.
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