Greece on edge: Woman dies in Thessaloniki blast amid rising tide of far-left extremist attacks

A woman was tragically killed in Thessaloniki after an explosive device detonated in her hands in the early hours of Saturday morning (May 3), in what Greek police believe was a failed attempt to target a nearby bank.

The 38-year-old—known to police for past robberies—was reportedly carrying the device to plant it at an ATM when it exploded just before 5 AM. The blast shook the city’s quiet northern streets, damaging nearby shops and cars. Police confirmed she died at the scene.

“It appears that she was carrying an explosive device and planned to plant it at a bank’s ATM,” a senior officer told Reuters. “Something went wrong and it exploded in her hands.”

Authorities are now investigating the woman’s potential links to far-left extremist networks—a growing concern in Greece, where incidents of political violence have become alarmingly frequent.

New militant group claims responsibility for Athens bombings

In the weeks leading up to the Thessaloniki blast, a militant organisation calling itself Revolutionary Class Self-Defence claimed responsibility for two separate bombings in Athens, including one outside the offices of the national rail operator, Hellenic Train.

The device, placed in a backpack, exploded on April 11 after anonymous warning calls were made to media outlets. No injuries were reported, but police say the timing and precision of the attack point to a coordinated operation.

The same group also admitted responsibility for a February bombing near the Labour Ministry and has linked its actions to public outrage over the deadly 2023 rail disaster in Tempi, where 57 people were killed after a freight train and a passenger train collided.

In a statement published online, the group said its attacks were in “armed opposition to the state,” dedicating them to “the Palestinian people and their heroic resistance.” Police are investigating potential connections between this group and long-defunct but infamous outfits like November 17, once classified as a terrorist organisation.

Echoes of violence: recent incidents paint a worrying picture

The past 12 months have seen a surge in politically motivated attacks in Greece:

• October 2024: A man was killed and a woman injured in an Athens apartment after a homemade bomb accidentally exploded. Two others fled the scene; one later surrendered to police. Authorities seized weapons, wigs, and disguises—hallmarks of underground cells.
• February 2025: An explosive device detonated outside the Labour Ministry in central Athens, again with no injuries but a clear intent to disrupt.
• June 2024: Arsonists attacked a synagogue in Athens, while other Jewish-owned businesses were targeted with firebombs. Several suspects, including one from Iran, were arrested on charges of racially motivated crimes.
• February 2025: Two Israeli tourists were stabbed in central Athens after reportedly being heard speaking Hebrew. One suspect remains at large.

The rise in antisemitic and ideologically driven violence has left many Greeks deeply concerned—and rightly so.

A nation haunted by its past and challenged by its present

Greece has long struggled with political extremism on both sides of the spectrum.

Far-left anarchist groups like Conspiracy of Fire Cells and Revolutionary Struggle have been active for over a decade, while far-right movements such as the now-banned Golden Dawn continue to exert influence through new political proxies.

Security stretched thin

Greece’s location has made it a transit point for foreign fighters and a target for extremist networks. From ISIS operatives entering Europe disguised as refugees to anarchist bomb-makers operating within Athens itself, the pressure on security services is immense.

John Nomikos, a Greek intelligence expert, told CNN: “The country urgently needs a Department of Homeland Security to coordinate intelligence sharing across its services.”

The EU has deployed counterterror officers to Greek islands to screen incoming migrants and prevent infiltration. But as the most recent wave of attacks shows, the threat is not only external—it is increasingly homegrown.

Public safety under pressure

As police examine CCTV footage, mobile phone data, and forensic evidence from the recent blast, the sense of urgency is mounting.

For most Greeks, these are not distant political issues—they are clear and present dangers. From rail disasters to left-wing motivated racial violence, the fabric of public trust is being tested.

In the birthplace of democracy, the stakes could not be higher.

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