Policeman shot in Athens

Photos

Greek police-Photo-01

see larger image

uploaded by Teacher Dude

A police officer on patrol outside the Ministry of Culture, Athens was shot twice early this morning by unknown gunmen. Diamantis Mantzounis, aged 21 was hit in the chest and the thigh during the incident which took place in the Exarchia district of the capital, scene of much of the recent unrest following the shooting of a 15 year old teenager in December.

According to the state - run ERT news site 31 empty shells from two weapons, a AK47 and 9mm pistol were found nearby. In addition the hand grenade used during the attack was from a factory which supplies the Greek army.

This is the second attack on police in the two weeks. In December a coach carrying members of the riot squad was fired upon in Goudi, Athens, as it was leaving a police station. A previously unknown group called Laiki Drasi (Popular Action) claimed responsibility for the attack.

Although the use of weapons like Kalashinkovs is not unknown in Greece such incidents have been usually associated with criminal activities such as gang land hits and drug dealing.

However, since the capture of the November 17th revolutionary organisation members in 2002 there have been two similar attacks,  a police station in Nea Ionia, Athens was fired upon in 2007 and the second when a rocket was fired at the US embassy building. In both cases a group calling itself Epanastikos Agonas (Revolutionary Struggle) claimed responsibility. However, no group so far has claimed responsibility for the latest incident.

Most attacks by extremist groups have involved arson or crude improvised explosive devices which make use of small camping gas cannisters and have been aimed at banks and multi-national chains.

The officer who was rushed to hospital and underwent surgery, but his conditions still remains critical according to hospital officials.

Pavlos Pavlopoulos, Home Office minister in an official announcement of the ministry's web site characterised the shooting as an attack upon democracy. Leaders of all the major political parties condemned the attack.

75 people have been taken in for questioning.