Greece Halts International Mail
Dana Brundage | Nov 3, 2010 3:12PM GMT
The Journal of Commerce Online - News Story
Government orders 48-hour stop after discovery of mail bombs
UPDATE 5:55 p.m.: Greek authorities said Wednesday that recent bombing are not connected to al-Qaeda or international terrorism, but are instead the work or domestic terrorists.
11:00 a.m.: Greek authorities ordered a 48-hour stop on all mail heading overseas Wednesday after a series of mail bombs were sent from the capital city.
According to reports, The Public Order Ministry is stopping the mail after authorities discovered a suspicious package, addressed to Italy’s Premier Silvio Berlusconi, on a private mail courier company plane that left Athens for Paris and Liege Tuesday.
The plane landed at Italy’s Bologna airport, causing flight delays for hours as the plane was searched.
By The Numbers: European Airlines' Freight Traffic.
The Ministry says the stoppage will allow authorities to carefully search for more possible mail bombs.
A mail bomb was sent from Athens to Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel at the chancellery in Berlin Tuesday. The package, once discovered, was destroyed.
Mail bombs were also sent to French President Nicolas Sarkozy and eight foreign embassies in Athens. Two of those packages were discovered in the cargo holding area of the Athens airport.
Three of those packages caught on fire and the others were destroyed or defused. One person, a delivery employee, was slightly injured when handling a package sent to the Mexican embassy in Athens.
Greek police arrested two suspects Tuesday and released the pictures of five other wanted suspects. According to reports, the two men in custody, who are in their 20s, are connected to local militant groups.
