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By KATHERINE GAZELLA
© St. Petersburg Times, published April 17, 2001
TARPON SPRINGS -- Fewer homemade bombs exploded over the weekend than in previous Greek Orthodox Easter celebrations, police said Monday.
Every year, some people in the city make and set off so-called "Greek bombs" as part of their Easter activities. A few bombs went off this year and a teenager was arrested, but in general, it was a relatively quiet year, police Chief Mark LeCouris said.
"It was probably one of our best years," he said.
Police arrested a 15-year-old Tarpon Springs youth for setting off a hand-sized bomb at 12:04 Sunday morning in the courtyard at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Sgt. Michael Trill said. The juvenile was charged with making, possessing, throwing or discharging a destructive device, a third-degree felony and taken to the Juvenile Assessment Center.
Police also are referring the charges in another case to the state attorney's office, Trill said. He said a man whose name was not available Monday set off a bomb at Athens and Cross streets at 2:29 a.m.
In all, Trill said, he only heard about six bombs early Sunday morning, far fewer than in previous years. He said there were no injuries, and the bombs caused no property damage.