An explosion that rocked a hookah café in the Agios Panteleimonas neighborhood of Athens shortly after midnight on August 5 was caused by a grenade, according to findings from Greece’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit (TEEM). The blast occurred inside the café on Admitou Street, injuring two Romanian nationals who were present at the time.
Traces of an explosive device were recovered at the scene and have been sent to forensic laboratories for further analysis.
The case has now been taken over by the Organized Crime Directorate’s Anti-Extortion Unit—commonly referred to as the “Greek FBI”—which has launched a preliminary investigation to determine the motive and perpetrators behind the incident.
The injured men, aged 42 and 39, were transported to the Red Cross Hospital. Both suffered minor injuries to the leg and arm, respectively. One was discharged after treatment, while the other remains under observation for 24 hours.
A third patron, a 47-year-old man of Albanian origin, was also present in the café but was unharmed. The explosion caused only minimal damage to the premises.
Authorities are expected to take formal statements from those present during the explosion. Security camera footage from the area is also being reviewed to uncover the sequence of events and identify the individuals responsible for the attack.
