A 38-year-old woman was killed in the early hours of Saturday in Thessaloniki, Greece, after a bomb she was allegedly carrying detonated prematurely before she could plant it near a bank ATM, authorities confirmed.
The explosion occurred around 5:00 a.m. local time and caused significant damage to nearby vehicles and storefronts, but no additional casualties were reported.
“It appears that she was carrying an explosive device and planned to plant it at a bank’s ATM,” a senior police official told Reuters. “Something went wrong and exploded in her hands.”
The woman was rushed to the hospital but later succumbed to her injuries.
Greek police stated that the deceased had a prior criminal record, including offenses related to drug use, prostitution, robbery, and theft. Investigators are now exploring whether she had ties to any extremist or anarchist groups.
Greece has witnessed periodic incidents of politically motivated violence and bombings in recent years. Just last month, a group calling itself Revolutionary Class Struggle claimed responsibility for a bomb attack in central Athens, raising concerns about a resurgence of domestic extremist activity.
Authorities say the investigation into Saturday’s incident is ongoing.
