Microsoft's Athens Headquarters Firebombed

By Benjamin Reeves | June 27 2012 2:32 PM

Microsoft Corporation's (Nasdaq: MSFT) Athens, Greece, headquarters was firebombed on Wednesday by gunmen who drove a van loaded with gasoline through the doors of the four-story building, Reuters reported.

Reuters

A police investigator searches for evidence following attack on Microsoft's offices at Marousi suburb north of Athens.
Reuters

A security guard stands outside Microsoft's Greek headquarters following an attack at Marousi suburb, north of Athens.
Reuters

A security guard speaks on the phone following an attack on Microsoft's Greek headquarters at Marousi suburb, north of Athens.

Early in the morning of Wednesday, June 27, the Microsoft building in Athens, Greece, was attacked by assailants who drove a van through the entrance to the building, ushered the two security personnel out of the building and then set the van on fire, a Microsoft spokewoman said, according to Computer World UK.

The attack occurred at 4:45 am local time, and at least two attackers with pistols and automatic rifles torched the building with gasoline, leaving it gutted, according to the Reuters report. No one has claimed responsibility, but Greek police are fingering leftist militants angry about austerity and perceived meddling by foreign businesses and governments.

The attack, reminiscent of scenes from action movies like The Matrix and Die Hard is just the latest against international corporations in Greece's capital. McDonald's Corporation (NYSE: MCD), Starbucks Corporation (Nasdaq: SBUX) and Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) branches in Athens have all suffered similar attacks.

Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq: MSFT) shares rose 8 cents to $30.10 Wednesday afternoon.