- Title: GREECE: Police detonate parcel bomb addressed to French embassy
- Date: 5th November 2010
- Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (NOVEMBER 4, 2010) (REUTERS) POLICE TAPE CLOSING OFF STREET IN FRONT OF COURIER COMPANY, COUNTER TERROR POLICE VAN ON SCENE IN BACKGROUND POLICE OFFICER ON MOTORCYCLE GUARDING SITE BOMB DISPOSAL EXPERT IN SPECIAL SUIT PREPARING TO DETONATE BOMB EXPERT IN FRONT OF BOMB SQUAD VAN EXTERIOR OF COURIER OFFICE OFFICERS BEHIND VAN BOMB DISPOSAL EXPERT WALKIN
- Embargoed: 20th November 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Greece
- Country: Greece
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVAEEQ9V15PU7INXOI3IGUY5RPAW
- Story Text: A parcel bomb that travelled to the French embassy but was refused by the embassy and returned to the courier, is detonated by police at the courier company.
Greek police detonated a parcel bomb addressed to the French embassy in Athens on Thursday (November 4). Embassy officials had refused to accept the package because it did not have a return address, and gave it back to the courier company. The courier returned it to the courier company's offices and called the police.
Bomb disposal experts arrived on the scene and detonated the package in a controlled explosion. Smoke was seen rising and debris from the package flying as the parcel was exploded.
It was the latest in a series of parcel bombs found in Athens and abroad in the last three days.
Police have said more parcel bombs may still have left Greece and authorities suspended overseas shipments of mail and packages from Wednesday until Friday.
Two suspects appeared before a prosecutor on Thursday to respond to charges for planting and being in possession of the earlier parcel bombs.
The two men, both Greek, aged 22 and 24, were arrested on Monday in possession of two parcel bombs including one addressed to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, after two other bombs had been sent to courier offices, one of which exploded and the other was detonated.
An arrest warrant had been issued for one of the two for his involvement with the militant group Fire Conspiracy Cells, who have staged attacks on government and police targets over the past year. They were charged on Tuesday with committing a terror act, participating in a terror group and illegal possession of explosives and weapons.
Small bombs exploded at the Swiss and Russian embassies in Athens on Tuesday, a package with explosives was intercepted at the German chancellor's office and another package addressed to the Italian prime minister erupted in flames when checked in Italy.
Two more suspect packages detonated by police at the cargo terminal of Athens airport on Tuesday evening contained explosives and were addressed to Europol and the European Court of Justice, police officials said.
No one was injured at the Swiss or Russian embassies, and Greek police said the bombs that had been found were mostly too small to kill anyone. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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