10 U.S. Military Personnel Hurt as Car Bomb Explodes in Greece

ATHENS —  Ten American military personnel and a Greek driver were injured near here Monday when a bomb planted in a car bearing U.S. diplomatic license plates exploded as a bus carrying nine of the victims drove past, police reported.

A U.S. Embassy spokesman said no one was seriously injured. He said nine passengers in the bus and a U.S. servicewoman walking nearby were injured and were taken to the military hospital at a U.S. Air Force base in Athens. They were later released.

The Greek driver was hospitalized with unspecified but not serious injuries, the embassy said.

The car blew up at 4:48 p.m. as the unmarked bus with Greek license plates approached the Apollon Hotel in the seaside suburb of Voula, about six miles from the Hellenikon Air Base.

Senior Airman John Hancock said the bus was traveling to the Apollon, which is used as a billet for U.S. military personnel temporarily assigned in or near Athens.

Witnesses said they saw two people on a motorcycle place an object near the car, which was destroyed by the blast. The blast was apparently triggered by remote-control.

Monday’s attack was the second since last April against U.S. military personnel at the Hellenikon base.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Monday’s blast. In April, a left-wing guerrilla group called “Revolutionary Organization November 17” claimed responsibility for blowing up a bus traveling to the base, injuring 16 Americans and two Greeks.

Relations between the United States and Greece became strained two months ago over allegations by the United States that the Greek government had contact with terrorist organizations.