Counter-terrorism police investigating UK warehouse fireplace over doable hyperlinks to Russia | EUROtoday

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Counter-terrorism police are investigating doable Russian involvement in an incident in Birmingham the place a bundle caught fireplace at a DHL warehouse.

It comes as one other bundle suspiciously caught fireplace at a DHL facility in Leipzig, Germany, whereas different incidents involving fires suspected to have been began by Russian spies had been recognized throughout Europe this 12 months.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson stated: “We can confirm that officers from counter-terrorism policing are investigating an incident at a commercial premises in Midpoint Way, Minworth.

“On Monday 22 July, a package at the location caught alight. It was dealt with by staff and the local fire brigade at the time and there were no reports of any injuries or significant damage caused.”

The spokesperson added officers had been liaising with different European legislation enforcement companions “to identify whether this may or may not be connected to any other similar-type incidents across Europe”.

Nobody was reported injured within the fireplace and the blaze was handled by native fireplace brigade and employees. No arrests have been made and British police inquiries are persevering with.

A spokesperson for DHL stated: “DHL Express Europe is taking risk mitigation actions to secure its network, staff and assets as well as customer shipments by implementing strengthened security measures across the European countries as a reaction to ongoing investigations by authorities from several countries.”

The parcel is believed to have arrived by air, sparking concern that there might have been critical penalties if it had ignited whereas on the airplane.

Also in late July, a bundle in Leipzig that had been sure for a flight caught fireplace, with German authorities warning this week that had it gone off in mid-air it might have downed the airplane.

Both incidents had been solely disclosed after joint inquiries by The Guardian and German broadcasters WDR and NDR.

The two latest incidents underscore a rising concern that Russian spies are attempting to assault European international locations supportive of Ukraine in opposition to Moscow’s full-scale invasion.

Last week, MI5 chief Ken McCallum warned that Russia’s GRU navy intelligence was on “a sustained mission to generate mayhem on British and European streets”. He added such assaults had been taking the type of “arson, sabotage and more”.

The incident in Birmingham is the second suspected arson assault within the UK this 12 months after a warehouse in east London belonging to an organization linked to Ukraine caught fireplace in March. Seven males had been charged with involvement within the incident, which was additionally linked to a Russian plot.

In Warsaw in May, a buying centre was additionally destroyed by a fireplace that Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, warned was “quite likely” began by GRU operatives.

In July, US intelligence providers additionally reported that they had foiled Russian plans to homicide Armin Papperger, the CEO of the German arms maker Rheinmetall.