Club hits tied to insurance?
A few hours after a homemade explosive device caused serious damage to a nightclub in the coastal suburb of Alimos, police in Attica said they are investigating the possibility that club owners are planning apparent arson attacks on their establishments in order to secure insurance payouts. The attack on the Frangelico club in Alimos early yesterday, which caused no injuries, was the latest in a string of blasts at large nightclubs in the Attica area. Police suspicions were raised after they learned that the club had insurance coverage for explosions and had been due to undergo costly renovation later this month. Police also regard as suspicious a blast at a nightclub on Iera Odos and at another club on Syngrou Avenue early this summer. In the latter case, the club owner is believed to have been in debt to protection rackets. In the case of the Iera Odos venue, police believe the owner might also have been seeking an insurance payout but it is also thought he might have planned the blast to cast himself as a victim in order to be granted a weapons license.