Men of the SWAT (EKAM) team entered the house and attempted to prevent the 28-year-old Palestinian from carrying out his threat to blow up a gas cylinder. The house is located near Vathi Square, in Aharnon, Athens.

Earlier in the morning, Hellenic Police and the fire brigade were informed of a Palestinian man – initially said to be Syrian – in an out of control state who went out on the balcony of a building next to the Ministry of Rural Development.

The man was reportedly said to be carrying knives and a gas canister and was reportedly threatening to blow up the block. He was telling police officers that his entire family was killed in a bombing.

Same sources say the Palestinian had also threatened to kill himself the previous week on September 3 and had been taken to a mental hospital.

Initially the man, reportedly a drug user, threatened to fall from the balcony.

“Because of the situation we were told to evacuate the building of the Ministry of Rural Development,” said the president of the ministry’s workers, according to whom the building where the man is located had also been evacuated.

Due to the authorities’ operation, the traffic police have suspended traffic on Acharnon Street in the section from Marni to Stournari.