Two people were injured early Saturday morning when a bomb exploded outside the home of Konstantinos Varsamis, president of the Greek association of prison guards, in the Sykies suburb of Thessaloniki. Varsamis, who lives on the first floor, was unharmed in the blast, which involved approximately 3kg of explosives placed near the building's front door.
The explosion caused significant damage to the block of flats and six cars, with shards of glass injuring two individuals. Tzetno Kelo, a neighbour, described being covered in blood after shattered glass fell on his bed. He was treated at a hospital and later discharged. Another resident, 88-year-old Sofia Hatzigeorgiou, found a large hole in her wall, likening her home to a 'summer house'. The blast was heard over a radius of more than 1km.
Police are investigating the attack, focusing on criminal gangs rather than terror groups, after a witness reported seeing a man walking nearby shortly before the explosion. The device was described as 'fairly simple', triggered by a standard detonator. Varsamis has worked at Diavata prison, known for housing criminal gang members and convicted terrorists.
The Hellenic police force's organised crime unit is leading the investigation. Firefighters, an ambulance, and dozens of officers, including anti-terrorism specialists, attended the scene. Thessaloniki MP Stratos Simopoulos, who himself experienced a similar attack weeks ago, expressed support for Varsamis, calling the bombing a 'cowardly attack' and noting that public officials who perform their duty without compromise may face such threats.
