Russian spies plotted to firebomb US-bound flights from Europe, western officers consider: Blazes at DHL bases ‘had been attributable to exploding therapeutic massage gadgets despatched as a take a look at run’
Western officials fear Russia has plans to plant bombs on passenger planes flying to the US and Canada after electronic massagers exploded in a warehouse.
The comments come after two incendiary devices were shipped via a DHL logistics centre on July 22 to Birmingham, England, and Leipzig, Germany, resulting in a fire.
Four people were arrested in connection with the blaze and charged with participating in sabotage or terrorist operations on behalf of a foreign intelligence agency.
No injuries were reported, with the incident dealt with by staff and the local fire brigade, but investigators believe there could have been far more serious consequences had the devices ignited while in flight.
The terrifying episode took place at the DHL centre in Birmingham on the ground of the depot.
The suspect package exploded in a DHL logistics centre in Leipzig before it could be loaded onto an aircraft
The parcels were sent from European locations to other locations on the continent via freight service providers and caught fire on the way, German news agency dpa reports, citing a message sent to airlines and logistics companies (stock image)
The Wall Street Journal reports that Poland’s prosecutor’s office has now said: ‘The group’s goal was also to test the transfer channel for such parcels, which were ultimately to be sent to the United States of America and Canada.’
Head of Poland‘s foreign intelligence agency, Pawel Szota, blamed Russia, although the prosecutor’s office statement did not name a foreign government suspected of directing the operations.
The secretive weapons were electronic massagers modified with a flammable magnesium-based substance, according to the WSJ.
Delay of the plane was referenced as fortunate, with experts warning there could have been a very different outcome had it taken off on time.
Concerns over Russia’s suspected involvement come as Western officials are increasingly fearing the country may be responsible for similar sabotage acts.
German intelligence service chief Thomas Haldenwang previously said Russian ‘aggression’ was ‘putting people’s lives at risk’ as well as affecting ‘all areas of our free society’.
German intelligence service chief Thomas Haldenwang warned of an increase in ‘aggressive behaviour’ from Moscow as he revealed that a flight neraly
Mr Haldenwang told a Bundestag committee that had the package ignited after the flight had taken off, the plane would have crashed.
Kremlin aggression is ‘putting people’s lives at risk’ as well as affecting ‘all areas of our free society’, he said.
The suspect package is believed to have been sent from Lithuania, before it exploded at the logistics centre, setting an entire freight container alight.
Foreign intelligence service chief Bruno Kahl added Putin was likely to further ‘test the West’s red lines’, amid the increase in tensions between Russia and Nato over the invasion of Ukraine.
He said there was now a willingness at a ‘previously unknown level’ to attempt sabotage from the Kremlin.
A warehouse in London belonging to a company with links to Ukraine caught fire in a a suspected deliberate attack in March.
Meanwhile in Germany a military base was the target of a suspected attempt to contaminate its drinking water in August.
US intelligence also uncovered a plot to murder Armin Papperger, the CEO of weapons manufacturer Rheinmetall, which has supplied vehicles and ammunition to Ukraine.
And Russia was accused of being behind a fire at a shopping centre in Warsaw by Polish prime minister Donald Tusk.
