Prison bombed as war for Europe step up

A BOMB exploded outside Athens’ main prison on Thursday, slightly injuring two people and damaging dozens of shops and homes up to four blocks away, police said.

Angry News from Around the World reports that a police official said the bomb was placed inside a garbage container close to the wall of Korydallos prison, where the convicted members of the deadly November 17 urban guerrilla group are serving sentences.

A man and a woman were slightly injured by broken glass. The blast was heard kilometres away, said a Reuters witness.

“It was a very powerful bomb, probably the biggest we have had in years, but we had evacuated the area,” said the police official.

An unidentified caller had warned a Greek TV station and a newspaper that a bomb would blow up outside the prison in minutes. Police rushed to evacuate the area and the device went off at about 1915 GMT.

“We have counted 55 shops and homes damaged so far in a radius of several blocks,” the police official said. Most buildings had their windows blown out.

Meanwhile the global finance system stepped up its war on the population of Europe, with Portugal announcing its own package of 'austerity' measures.

Reports AFP: "Portuguese media called the government programme a "fiscal shock" and anticipated protests.

"Spain's Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero on Wednesday ordered a five percent pay cut for public workers, a partial freeze on pensions and the scrapping of a 2,500-euro-payout for new births as he seeks to save an extra 15 billion euros over two years.

"But the move infuriated unions and the UGT union called a civil service strike for June 2.

"The CCOO union has also threatened a strike. The UGT called for demonstrations May 20 when Zapatero's measures go before parliament.

"The Italian government is now considering a freeze on public sector salaries and new hiring, Il Sole 24 Ore newspaper reported. The government this week renewed a pledge to reduce Italy's public deficit from 5.3 percent last year to 2.7 percent in 2012.

"Britain's new centre-right coalition also started discussing the economy on Thursday. The government has promised an emergency budget in 50 days that will aim to start slashing public spending."