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Explosion burst out on the seventh floor of the Hellenic Ministry of Citizen Protection – the cabinet of Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis is on the same floor. The bomb exploded 20-25 meters from the office of the Minister. At the time of the explosion he was in his office with two secretaries. Michalis Chrisochoidis himself is safe, but his personal assistant George Vassilakis died. The victim’s body was left in the building of the ministry hours after the incident. The ministry was panic-stricken. Two ambulances and mobile medical group for first aid arrived to the scene, but due to major destruction they needed more time to get to the body of the victim.

The blast exploded shortly after 20.30 and was strong enough to cause serious property damage. One wall of the room collapsed and the body of George Vassilakis was literally broken to pieces. The blast came as a consignment that exploded when the 52-year-old George Vassilakis opened it. The parcel was addressed to the Minister Michalis Hrisonoidis, but his personal assistant, who was responsible to the correspondence of the Minister, opened it.

The area around the building of the Ministry on 4 Petro Kanelopulu Avenue was closed off through the night, guarded by anti-terrorist services. The building was blocked by dozens of journalists, local and foreign. The explosion burst out in one of the most heavily guarded buildings in Athens, where not only people coming in go under thorough checks, but all the provisions that are carried inside the building. There were confusion and shock on the scene for a long time.

The victim is a longtime associate of Michalis Chrisochoidis, a father of two children. “This is an extremely wicked attack, which however will not stop us in the fight against terrorism. Personally, I lost a very close person,” said Michalis Chrisochoidis visibly upset.
 
Greek media are adamant that it was a terrorist act. The Greek terrorists dare to attack the Ministry of Citizen Protection and the Minister in person for the first time. It is not clear so far how the consignment passed through all scanners that monitor arms and explosives and was admitted to the floor where Michalis Chrisochoidis works. This is the first time terrorists use parcel to put in the deadly explosives.

Greek authorities are shocked by the attack because it shows that terrorists know very well the functioning of the security systems at the Ministry of Citizen Protection. They have found a weak point and excellently made use of it. There is no information yet on the type of the explosion and its packaging, but obviously the terrorists have shown exceptional abilities again. There is great symbolism in the place of the attack - not just near the office of the Minister, but just above the offices of the Greek Intelligence Service, which is located on the sixth floor of the same ministry.

Greek conservative politicians, big industrialists and foreign diplomats and businessmen in Athens are often subject to terrorist attacks. In recent years, however, the attacks did not end with shedding of blood, but were made rather to intimidate and usually there was a warning call before any attack. The attack last night was clearly aimed at shedding of blood and there was no warning call. This allows the Greek political analysts to express their concern that the darkest period of left terrorism returns in the country.

No terrorist organization has claimed responsibility for the offense so far. Experts of the Greek police, however, see the handwriting of the “Conspiracy of fiery cores.” They do not exclude the possibility that members of the organization “Revolutionary struggle” made the murder act. A likely scenario is behind the bloody incident of yesterday to stand and “Will of the people”- the terrorist organization that claimed responsibility for the bombings on February 17 against the political office of Michalis Chrisochoidis.