Athens arson spree was coordinated, police say

The barrage of arson attacks across Attica at dawn Monday was centrally coordinated, according to the Hellenic Police (ELAS), which also cite a call posted on an anti-establishment website on May 15 for an escalation of attacks by anarchists.

Police believe the arson may have involved anarchists living in the areas where the attacks took place – Pangrati, Nea Smyrni, Neos Kosmos, Galatsi, Kypseli and Halandri.

The timing of all the attacks, between 2.05 and 2.20 a.m., suggest that they were centrally coordinated.

More than 15 supermarket and courier company vans were targeted in the arson attacks, as well as three Alpha Bank ATMs.

Forty suspects were brought in for questioning, but there was no evidence to link them to the attacks.

Meanwhile, a few hours before the Attica attacks, anarchists had clashed with police in Thessaloniki, firing more than 20 firebombs at them.