Greece Suspends International Mailing over Bomb Parcels

World | November 3, 2010, Wednesday // 09:29
Bulgaria: Greece Suspends International Mailing over Bomb Parcels Anti-terrorist police officers escort to the public prosecutor's office one of the two men arrested for sending a barrage of parcel bombs arriving at foreign embassies around Athens. EPA/BGNES

The Greek authorities have suspended international mail and shipping services for two days after extremists mailed bomb parcels to foreign embassies, including Bulgaria's, the Greek Parliament, and the office of German Chancellor Merkel.

Bombs mailed by UPS delivery service disguised as parcels in Athens to the embassies of Switzerland, Germany, Bulgaria and Chile were intercepted on Tuesday, and eliminated through controlled explosions.

The office of the German Chancellor Angela Merkel confirmed that a suspect package from Greece was destroyed today arriving via UPS.

Unconfirmed reports citing Greek polices sources said a bomb parcel destined for Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi sent from Athens was intercepted in Bologna. The Italian authorities have not made official statements.

The authorities in Greece are operating under the highest level of alert as it is unclear how many bomb parcels were sent altogether, the Greek press reports on Wednesday.

"The Greek Government denounces categorically the attempts by violence to damage the image of Greece in these very tough times for Greece. No one can terrorise our democracy," Greek PM Papandeou reacted to the plot.

Two Greek men have already been arrested and charged with terrorism offenses - Panagiotis Argiros, 22, from Athens, and Gerasimos Tasakalos, 24, from Athens. They were busted upon trying to send bomb parcels to four other embassies and the office of French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

According to the Greek newspaper Ethnos, five other men aged between 21 and 30 are being wanted on charges of terrorist activity and bomb attacks.

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