A Greek far-left group claimed responsibility on Monday for a bomb attack at a politician's home in Athens.

In a statement posted on the Internet, the Conspiracy of Fire Cells said Dimitris Androulakis, a member of the socialist government, was a "lackey of the authorities" who was targeted for betraying the left.

The attack Friday caused minor damage to Androulakis' property and followed the pattern of earlier incidents, with the device hidden inside a pressure cooker and a warning telephoned to the authorities before the explosion.

The group also said it wanted to give the authorities a show of its fighting power.

Five suspected members of the group have been arrested since September, most recently on Saturday, though the Conspiracy's Internet statement denied all links with the five.

Last month the Conspiracy said it was behind a similar attack on the home of a conservative Euro MP, Marietta Giannakou.

Left-wing extremists have launched a number of attacks since riots last December triggered by the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old youth.