Spain to boost security after string of letter bombs
December 1, 2022
Spain has increased its security forces around public and diplomatic buildings after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and others were targeted with booby-trapped letters, according to the Interior Ministry.
The ministry said that Sanchez had received an "envelope with pyrotechnic material" on November 24, and the package was defused by his security personnel.
Similar packages were received by the Ukrainian embassy in Madrid, a Spanish arms firm and the Spanish Torrejon de Ardoz air force base, where the device was intercepted by the air force's staff.
The first booby-trap letter was sent to the Ukrainian embassy at lunchtime on Wednesday. An official opened the letter, causing it to explode. He sustained minor injuries.
Ambassador Serhii Pohoreltsev told the Ukrainian news site European Pravda that the package had been suspicious to the embassy's Ukrainian employee.
"The package contained a box, which raised the commandant's suspicions and he decided to take it outside — with no one in the vicinity — and open it," Pohoreltsev was quoted as saying.
"After opening the box and hearing a click that followed, he tossed it and then heard the explosion...Despite not holding the box at the time of the explosion, the commandant hurt his hands and received a concussion."
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba issued an order to all of Kyiv's embassies to strengthen their security "urgently". He also called on Spain to investigate the attack, according to a Ukrainian ministry spokesperson.
Arms supplier to Ukraine targeted with explosive device
Headquarters of the Spanish weapons manufacturer Instalaza in northern Spain, Zaragoza, was also targeted, police confirmed.
Among other armaments, Instalaza makes the C90 rocket launcher, which Spain has supplied to Ukraine.
A third suspected explosive device was hidden in an envelope received by an EU satellite center outside of Madrid in Torrejon de Ardoz, the defense ministry said. This device was detected by the military personnel.
los/dj (AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa)