ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A rocket attack on a Citibank branch in Athens early Wednesday sent out much wider tremors: Fears of a return of the deadly and elusive November 17 terrorist group.
No one claimed responsibility for the anti-tank missile attack, which caused extensive damage but no injuries.
But it carried all the hallmarks of November 17, which has been silent since the slaying of a Greek shipyard owner 11 months ago.
November 17 is the only terrorist group in Greece known to use rockets. It often waits days before claiming responsibility for an attack.
Some officials didn’t wait for a declaration to put the blame on November 17, whose litany of violence and 22 killings dates back to the murder of the CIA station chief in 1975.
Police worry that Greece’s oldest and most feared terrorist cell could begin a new round of attacks. There was also concern about the target: a high-profile American company.
U.S. firms in Athens, including car dealerships and McDonald’s outlets, have been hit by a recent wave of bombings that have caused damage but no injuries. Those attacks were blamed on small leftist groups.
The rocket blast could mean November 17 is joining the mix at a time when Greece is under pressure from the United States to battle urban terrorists.
Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas condemned the rocket attack and promised a “seamless front” to combat terrorism.
November 17, built around a mix of ultra-leftist and nationalist ideologies, is named for the day in 1973 when the then ruling military junta crushed a student uprising in Athens.
The group lost much public sympathy in 1989 when it killed a popular Greek politician