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Gunmen seize bus in Athens suburbs -- police
Greek police surrounded a bus carrying 26 passengers that was seized by two armed hijackers along a highway from an Athens suburb on Wednesday, police said.
"A group of two people, both foreigners, took over the bus this morning," a police official told Reuters. "There are 26 passengers on the bus that left Marathon this morning en route to Athens."
A group of negotiators have arrived at the scene to talk to the gunmen, he said.
Hundreds of police officers, snipers in camouflage and special forces took up positions around the vehicle, while one police car, flashing its lights had parked behind the bus.
There have been no reports of any injuries, but a police official said one of the gunmen was seen approaching the front of the bus and firing off two warning shots.
"He (the driver) has told police that there were two of them and that they are Albanians," the source said.
A police spokesman said the gunmen carried hunting rifles and that they were most likely Albanians.
"We cannot say it a hundred percent but it is very likely according to our information," he said.
An eyewitness told Greek television he saw the driver of the bus run away from the vehicle and then he heard shots.
The curtains in the bus windows have been closed, blocking views inside, and a police helicopter hovered above. Television pictures had earlier shown one man carrying a rifle and standing inside the bus near the front seats.
Police cars blocked traffic along the busy eastern Athens highway leading to Marathon and kept news crews hundreds of yards away. Dozens of ambulances could be seen parked nearby.
This is the first such incident since two deadly bus hijackings by Albanian gunmen shocked the country five years ago. |
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