Greek mail bomb attacks escalate, reach Germany

November 03, 2010|Nicholas Paphitis, Elena Becatoros, and Melissa Eddy, Associated Press

ATHENS — Terrorists unleashed an unprecedented two-day wave of mail bomb attacks in Athens and abroad, with one package reaching the office of German Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday.

Greek militant groups are suspected of mounting the attacks targeting embassies in Athens and international organizations and foreign leaders abroad. If that is confirmed, it would mark a dramatic escalation for organizations that have never before attempted to strike targets abroad.

The campaign used small devices that caused only one injury and minimal damage. But it highlights the difficulty of keeping bombs out of the international delivery system — also a target of Yemen-based militants armed with more powerful and potentially deadly explosives.

Security at all embassies in Athens has been increased and authorities suspended all international mail deliveries from Greece for 48 hours for further checks.

By last evening, at least 11 mail bombs had been detected in the Greek capital — one addressed to French President Nicolas Sarkozy and eight to the embassies of Bulgaria, Russia, Germany, Switzerland, Mexico, Chile, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

Two more were destroyed in controlled explosions at Athens’ international airport — one addressed to the European Union’s highest court in Luxembourg and the other to law enforcement agency Europol in the Netherlands.

A suspicious package addressed to Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi was also found on board a private mail courier company plane that took off from Athens airport late yesterday. The plane landed at Bologna airport, where the package was being checked, Greek police said.

It was unclear whether the bomb sent to Germany was delivered by land or air. If sent by plane, it would highlight the potential limitations of air cargo security that remain, despite the concern triggered by the mail bombs dispatched recently from Yemen.

“If they have been flown, then it rather begs the question whether European freight air security is up to muster at all,’’ said British aviation security consultant Chris Yates.