By Kathryn Armstrong
Spanish police have arrested a 74-year-old man on suspicion of sending letter bombs to high-profile targets, including the country’s prime minister.
The man was reportedly taken into custody in the north of Spain and is due to appear in court later this week.
In total six bombs were sent to addresses across Spain including PM Pedro Sánchez’s official residence and the US and Ukrainian embassies.
Most were defused but an Ukrainian embassy worker was slightly injured.
Letter bombs were also sent to the ministry of defence, an air force base and a weapons manufacturer – all linked to Spain’s support for Ukraine in its defence against Russian aggression.
The country’s National Court opened a terrorism investigation following the attacks.
The man, who was arrested in the town of Miranda de Ebro in the northern province of Castile and León, is described as having some expertise with computers and was found to be active on social networks.
Local media report that the man worked for the town hall at Vitoria-Gasteiz, the nearby Basque capital, before retirement.
The police have stated that although they think he acted alone, they haven’t ruled out the possibility that there were other people involved as well.
At the time, rumors circulated that the bombs had something to do with Spain’s outspoken backing of Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Moscow denounced the campaign using letter bombs.
According to a Sunday New York Times article, investigators have been looking into the Russian Imperial Movement, a group with ties to far-right organizations in Spain and one that is thought to have ties to Russian intelligence. It is now recognized as a global terrorist organization by the US.
According to reports, Spanish officials chose not to comment on the story.
Spain has provided arms to Ukraine in response to the Russian invasion, along with training assistance for Ukrainian troops and humanitarian aid.
