Terror alert in Athens after blast hits US embassy

8220;This is an act of terrorism. We don8217;t know where from,8221; Attica Police Chief Asimakis Golfis said. 8220;There was a shell that exploded in the toilets of the building8230; It was fired from street level.8221;

Embassy officials confirmed that an explosion had taken place and said that no one had been injured. US ambassador Charles Reis said the damage was 8220;not extensive.8221;

8220;There can be no justification for such a senseless act of violence 8230; The embassy was occupied at the time but nobody was hurt,8221; he said. Reis said there had been no warning of the attack.

8220;Such actions in the past have had a very heavy cost for the country moral, financial and for the international standing of the country,8221; said Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, who visited the embassy after the blast. 8220;The Greek government is determined to not allow such phenomena to be repeated.8221;

It was the first major attack against a US target in more than a decade.

8211;NICHOLAS PAPHITIS