Spanish court docket fees letter bomb suspect with terrorism

MADRID (AP) — Spain’s Nationwide Courtroom mentioned Friday it had charged a 74-year-old retired man with terrorism for allegedly sending six letters containing explosive materials to Spain’s prime minister and the U.S. and Ukrainian embassies within the nation.

The as-yet-unidentified man appeared earlier than a decide in Madrid on Friday and was detained with out bail, the court docket mentioned. The suspect, referred to solely by the initials PGP, was charged with six separate terrorism offenses, it added, after being arrested within the northern metropolis of Miranda de Ebro on Wednesday.

The person was charged with the manufacture and use of explosive units for terrorist functions, in response to court docket paperwork. Two of the alleged offenses had been categorised as aggravated as they concerned members of the federal government.

Spanish media reported that the suspect had hyperlinks to Russia, was strongly energetic on social media and was purportedly a flight threat.

The six letter bombs had been despatched in November and December final 12 months and required bomb squad disposal. An worker on the Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid was barely injured whereas dealing with one of many letters, and one other was destroyed after being dispatched by common put up to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

Letters with related traits had been despatched to Spain’s Protection Ministry, a European Union satellite tv for pc heart situated on the Torrejón de Ardoz air base exterior Madrid and an arms manufacturing facility in northeastern Spain that makes grenades despatched to Ukraine.

An envelope intercepted on the U.S. Embassy’s safety screening level in December was detonated by authorities after a large space within the heart of Spain’s capital was cordoned off.