Greece's former prime minister Lucas Papademos was injured when a booby-trapped package exploded in his auto in central Athens on Thursday, police said, in the most dramatic act of political violence in the crisis-hit country for several years.
The 69-year-old economist was in stable condition, doctors said.
The incident happened at 6:30 p.m. local time on Thursday as Papademos was traveling in a vehicle in central Athens.
Papademos was appointed caretaker prime minister in November 2011 following concerns the country would exit the Eurozone.
Papademos, who also once served as the country's central bank governor, opened the booby-trapped envelope as his vehicle made its way through a central Athens intersection surrounded by apartment buildings, CNN Greece reported.
Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity pending official announcements.
The incident is reminiscent of the parcel bombs that targeted European financial institutions in March, including officials from the European Union, the International Monetary Fund in France and the German finance ministry.
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The group, which is considered a terror organisation by Washington, sent letter bombs to foreign embassies in Greece and to European leaders in 2010.
Greece's government spokesman has described an explosion that wounded former Prime Minister Lucas Papademos and two others as an attack. The former prime minister's auto was parked by the side of the road, in front of its escort vehicle.
The explosion damaged the car's windshield, leaving no other sign of damage, but startled bystanders.
The blast happened on a busy Athens highway, an AFP reporter who went to the scene said.
"The police were there nearly instantly, in no time".
More than a dozen people have been convicted of group membership and jailed. "Terrorists are enemies of democracy", he said. He also served as Governor of the Bank of Greece in the 1990s.
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