'Parcel bombs' that blew up in warehouse were 'rehearsal' for Russian explosion attack on flight to US

5 November 2024, 00:10 | Updated: 5 November 2024, 00:13

A parcel that caught fire at a DHL warehouse in Birmingham was a rehearsal for an attack on a flight to the US, Polish authorities have claimed.

Two fires took place at warehouses in the Birmingham suburb Minworth and in the German city of Leipzig in July.

Five people have been arrested so far in connection with the explosions.

The devices, which were disguised as electric massage machines, contained a magnesium-based substance that could have caused a plane to come down.

The ultimate mastermind behind the plot has not been publicly identified, but Poland's foreign intelligence agency thinks Russia was involved.

Pawel Szota, the head of the agency, said: "I’m not sure the ­political leaders of Russia are aware of the ­consequences if one of these packages exploded, causing a mass casualty event.

The country's national prosecutor’s office added: "The group’s goal was to test the transfer channel for such parcels, which were ultimately to be sent to the United States of America and Canada."

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Police said earlier: “We can confirm that officers from counter-terrorism policing are investigating an incident at a commercial premises in Midpoint Way, Minworth."

“On Monday July 22, 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.”

Counter-terrorism police fear that these incidents are part of a wider campaign by Russian spies across Europe.

Thomas Haldenwang, the head of Germany’s domestic intelligence services, revealed the Leipzig incident.

“We are observing aggressive behaviour by the Russian intelligence services [that is] putting people’s lives at risk. It affects all areas of our free society,” Mr Haldenwang said.

It is not immediately apparent what Putin’s army of spies could hope to achieve if they did plant these devices.

“Officers are liaising with other European law enforcement partners to identify whether this may or may not be connected to any other similar-type incidents across Europe,” the Met police spokesperson added.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: “These are traditional unsubstantiated insinuations from the media.”