The movements of the bombers who targeted the Hellenic Train have been captured on video, while Anti-terrorism officials are continuing intensive investigations to locate and arrest them. The police officers are close to identifying them and believe there is strong symbolism behind the attack, while indications suggest that the maker of the explosive device has experience in similar actions.

According to protothema.gr, from the material collected by the authorities from security cameras, it appears that the perpetrators approached the offices of Hellenic Train on foot, coming from the Syntagma area. Remarkably, their facial features were not particularly veiled, which reinforces the optimism of the police for their immediate identification.

When they reached the company’s height at Sygrou Avenue, one of the two crossed over. Also, one of the offenders was talking on his cell phone. This communication took place at 20:15 and the men of the Anti-Terrorism Department believe that it was about the information about the location of the explosive device. Immediately afterwards, the perpetrator fixed the bomb with a blanket on a pillar and the two men left the scene.

At 8:53 p.m., 38 minutes later, the bomber called media, giving a 35-40 minute window until the explosion and clarifying that “this is not a hoax.” Officers believe the time between the planting of the bomb and the phone call was given to ensure the perpetrators were removed from the scene.

Why counter-terrorism officials call it a “perfect attack”

Analysis of the scene shows that the explosive device was completely destroyed in the blast, leading authorities to conclude that a person with experience in similar acts was behind its construction.

At the same time, it is believed that the perpetrators attempted to show that they remain active, despite the explosion in an apartment building in Ampelokipi in late October last year and the arrests that followed.

The perpetrators hit their “number one” target: Hellenic Train, which has been at the center of social and political criticism since the tragedy in Tempe. They also knew that the building was not adequately guarded by either security personnel or police forces, which allowed them to leave the bomb undisturbed and leave before the explosion.

The choice of the time of the attack is considered a particular symbolism, as on the day the bomb was planted, the debate on the impeachment of Christos Triandopoulos in the Judicial Council, regarding the case of the accident in Tempe, was underway in the Parliament.

The video of the “mysterious” man with the backpack

At the same time, a video before the explosion came under the “microscope” of the authorities. In this video, which is presented by protothema.gr, a man in black can be seen walking shortly after 9 p.m. on Friday night on Syngrou Avenue in the direction of Petmeza Street.

The video shows the “mysterious” man arriving at the corner of the street, where the perpetrators left the backpack with the explosive device, and remaining there for more than 14 seconds.

He then returns by walking in the opposite direction while making a call on his cell phone. Finally, in the footage, the man is seen carrying a black object that looks like a handbag.

The “city guerrilla”

Police officers handling the case believe that behind the blast are people who have been active in the past in city guerrilla warfare or people who receive instructions from people in that field.

So, in the first instance, similar attacks in the past have been put under the microscope in an attempt to establish whether they are people who have been involved in similar actions.

After all, the attack bears several similarities to the bomb detonation outside the Labor Ministry offices on Stadiou Street in early 2024.

Material damage

The explosion at Hellenic Train caused extensive, property damage to the mezzanine floor of the building housing the company’s offices and to cars parked in front of a car rental company.

So strong was the shear wave that damage was caused to entrances of apartment buildings as well as to parked vehicles within a radius of up to meters.