Central Athens rocked by blast 

An explosion rocked a central Athens post office close to Greece's Finance Ministry on Monday, causing some damage but no casualties, a police official says.

The post office in the city's main Syntagma Square, about 100 metres from the parliament building, was closed at the time. A police spokesman said: "There are no injuries to people passing by."

It was not immediately clear who was behind the blast.

Police said there was a warning call to a Greek newspaper about half an hour before the explosion, saying a bomb had been placed near the Economy and Finance Ministry.

Police said the explosive device was made up of about 10 medium-sized gas canisters, making it a more powerful bomb than those used during minor attacks by fringe groups in recent years.

Police officials did not say whether the explosion was being linked to the appeals trial of 15 members of Greece's once-feared November 17 radical leftist guerrilla group.

State television pictures showed damage to nearby buildings, cars and cafes and shattered windows in the business district of the city shortly before the morning rush hour.
Dozens of police cars and fire trucks were at the scene as forensic experts combed through the debris.

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