A bomb has exploded in a busy neighbourhood in the centre of Athens. The device was planted near the offices of Hellenic Train, Greece’s main railway company. There were no immediate reports of injuries after the explosion in the Greek capital on Friday (April 11).

Local media said a newspaper and news website received an anonymous tip off shortly before the blast. The caller warned that a bomb had been planted outside the railway company offices and it would explode in about 40 minutes.

Police cordoned off the area along a major road in the city, keeping residents and tourists away from the building in an area where there are several bars and restaurants.

Officers at the scene said a bag containing an explosive device had been placed near the Hellenic Train building in Syngrou Avenue.

The explosion comes amid widespread public outrage over Greece’s worst railway disaster. Fifty seven people were killed and dozens more injured when a freight and passenger train heading in opposite directions were accidentally put on the same track in February 2023.

Criticism of the Greek government’s handling of the collision at Tempe, northern Greece, has mounted in the last few weeks in the wake of the second anniversary of the disaster.

Mostly young people who had been returning to university classes after a public holiday were killed in the horrific crash.

Greece has a history of politically-motivated violence which dates back to at least the 1970s. Domestic extremist groups have carried out small-scale bombings which most often cause damage but rarely result in injuries.

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