Greece suspends international mail after bomb wave
International airmail has been suspended in Greece after the discovery of explosive packages. The European country has put in place a 48-hour embargo after packages containing explosives – reportedly carried by UPS and TNT – were sent to targets across Greece and Europe.
One of the packages was sent to the office of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, while further packages were addressed to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and other European embassies. It has been reported that a further package was meant for French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
On Wednesday, in a newspaper interview, Merkel said that cargo checks need to be better coordinated.
Police suspect the packages are the work of an extremist left-wing group, and not by the parties involved in last Friday’s occurrence in Yemen.
Greek police said airmail was suspended in order to carry out extensive screening of mail and parcels.
Furthermore, the BBC reported that controlled explosions were carried out on two parcel bombs in the cargo terminal at Athens airports yesterday (Tuesday). Europol and the European Court of Justice was the intended destination.
In response, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou announced that “democracy will not be terrorized.”
He added: “The irresponsible and mindless acts of those who aim to undermine the efforts of the Greek people to put the country and the economy back on track will not succeed.”
Furthermore, Giorgos Petalotis, a government spokesman, said: “It is quite clear that there is no link between the criminal activities of the past few days and international terrorist organisation such as Al Qaeda.”
Greek police released the names and pictures of five men who belong to the suspected Conspiracy of the Cells Fire. The group has previously admitted to a number of attacks since 2008.
On Monday, two men, who remain nameless, were arrested. One has been charged with involvement in three previous bomb attacks, for which the extremist group claimed responsibility.
Dr Athanasios Drougos, a lecturer at Greece’s military academies, told the BBC: “This appears to be the work of young people in training. They are taking paramilitary training; they are testing their capabilities. They are preparing something more serious.”
