Spain finds more letter bombs after Ukraine embassy blast

Madrid, Dec. 1 (PTI/AP): Explosive devices concealed in postal packages were discovered at Spain’s Defence Ministry, a satellite centre at an air base and an arms factory that makes grenades sent to Ukraine, Spanish authorities said on Thursday, a day after a similar package exploded at the Ukrainian embassy in Madrid.

Authorities also said that a similar explosive device was dispatched by regular post to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro S nchez on November 24, but was disposed of by bomb squad experts.

The latest discoveries raise to five the number of explosive devices that were sent by post around the country over the past few days.

The Russian embassy in Madrid on Thursday condemned the letter bombs, saying in a tweet that “any threat or terrorist attack, especially those directed at diplomatic missions, are totally condemnable”.

The package dispatched to the Ukrainian embassy and addressed to the ambassador slightly injured an employee when it burst into flames while he was handling it.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba quickly ordered that security be stepped up at all Ukrainian embassies abroad and has asked his Spanish counterpart for a speedy investigation.

Spain’s National Court is investigating the incident as a terrorist act and extra security has been assigned to the Ukrainian embassy.

Police said all but one of the four letter bombs were disposed of. Interior Ministry State Secretary for Security Rafael P rez said police were using the one intact explosive device and its package that was sent to the air base to assist investigators.

He said an initial assessment was that all five packages were likely sent from within Spain.

P rez said that security has been stepped up at public buildings following the discovery of the package that was sent to S nchez. This has now been extended to embassies, which already have extra security measures in place since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February.

The Defence Ministry package had been addressed to minister Margarita Robles, P rez said. Spain has contributed both military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion.

The arms factory, located in the northeastern city of Zaragoza, makes grenade launchers that Spain has sent to Ukraine. The parcel was addressed to the factory’s director.

A government official in Zaragoza said that both the arms factory and Ukrainian embassy packages had the same email address listed as the sender. No further details were given.

Officials said extra security forces have been deployed at the Torrej n de Ardoz base, just east of Madrid. They said the package was sent to the director of the base’s European Union Satellite Centre.

The sending of small explosive devices in postal parcels is not uncommon in many countries. They were common occurrence for many years in Spain, especially during the most active years of the now defunct armed Basque group ETA.