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(12 Jan 2007)
DOS TV
12 January, 2006. Washington, D.C.
1. Tom Casey walking to the podium
2. Cut away of reporter
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Casey, U.S. State Department spokesperson " At approximately 5:30 this morning local time, the embassy in Athens was struck by what appears to have been a rocket propelled grenade. I think as you know there were fortunately no injuries associated with this and there was only minor damage done to the building."
4. Cut away of reporter
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Casey, U.S. State Department spokesperson "there have been some anonymous claims made of responsibility in the name of this organization called revolutionary struggle, but I certainly can't confirm they or anyone else is responsible for this and is obviously is a matter that is being investigated by greek officials. You can check with the FBI on specifics, but my understanding is they do have some technical support folks going to help assist in this and to help the embassy with anything they might need as well."
6. Cut away of reporters
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Casey, U.S. State Department spokesperson "I don't think you can consider the firing of an RPG at someone's diplomatic facility a friendly act or a non-violent one. Certainly I don't know any other word to call it other than terrorism, but the main point is it was a violent attack against. Something obviously we want to see fully and completely investigated and we want to see the perpetrators brought to justice."
8. Cut away of reporters

STORYLINE:

A rocket struck the U.S. Embassy in Athens early Friday, exploding inside the modern, glass-fronted building and shattering hopes that Greece's leftist anti-American militant networks had been dismantled.

Greek authorities said the attack, which caused no injuries, was probably carried out by a domestic terrorist group.

The small anti-tank missile, fired from across a six-lane boulevard, narrowly missed the large blue-and-white U.S. seal on the embassy's facade and the ambassador's office, and pierced the building above the front entrance shortly before 6 a.m.

It damaged a third-floor bathroom and shattered windows in nearby buildings.

"There were no injuries and very minimal damage," U.S. Ambassador Charles Ries said outside the embassy.

The attack recalled the anti-capitalist and anti-American violence of past decades, which included the death of a CIA station chief and other American military and embassy officials, as well as a failed bomb attack against the U.S. Embassy in 1996.

New militant groups vehemently oppose the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq, amid widespread public opposition to Washington's policies which has remained strong since the United States provided support for a 1967-74 military dictatorship.

"It is very likely that this is the work of a domestic group," Public Order Minister Vyron Polydoras said. "We believe this effort to revive terrorism is deplorable and will not succeed."

He speculated that "this could be (guided) by the first generation of terrorists."

The 2.36-inch rocket, which police said was a weapon probably fired from a Russian-made launcher, struck a large marble beam on the third floor of the embassy, just above and to the left of the seal.

U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the United States was "not aware" of any indications that international terrorists had a role in the attack, but cautioned that the investigation was in its early stages.

It was the first major attack against a U.S. target in Greece in more than a decade.





Officials closed the embassy for the day.









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