Yet another air parcel ignited in the UK.
During the summer, an incident involving a flaming package at Leipzig Airport raised eyebrows. German intelligence suspects a Moscow-orchestrated operation to be behind it. Now, a similar occurrence has been unveiled in the UK.
The British counter-terrorist authorities are scrutinizing if Russian spies planted an incendiary device on a plane destined for the UK. This device later ignited in a DHL warehouse in Birmingham, as reported by "The Guardian."
A representative from the Metropolitan Police's Counter-Terrorism Command stated to "The Guardian," "We can confirm that officers from the Anti-Terrorism Command are investigating an incident at a business premises in Midpoint Way, Minworth."
Fortunately, no one was injured in the July fire at a Birmingham suburb warehouse where packages were being transferred for delivery. The local fire department along with employees managed to put out the flames. British investigators suspect that the incendiary device is part of a broader campaign orchestrated by Russian spies across Europe this year.
According to the report, it's suspected that the package arrived at the DHL warehouse via air, but it's unclear whether it was on a cargo or passenger flight and its final destination. Had the device ignited during the flight, the consequences could have been severe.
MI5 Warns of Russian Intelligence Activities
Last week, Ken McCallum, chief of the UK's domestic intelligence agency MI5, cautioned that the Russian military intelligence agency GRU seems to be pursuing a "sustained mission to create chaos on British and European streets." He cited instances of arson, sabotage, and more.
McCallum accused Russia of engaging in "dangerous actions with growing recklessness," and argued that these actions are counterproductive as they encourage "increased operational coordination with partners across Europe and beyond."
In summer, a very similar incident took place in Germany. A package containing an incendiary device caught fire just before it was loaded onto an aircraft in Leipzig. A container subsequently burst into flames. On Monday, Thomas Haldenwang, the head of Germany's domestic intelligence agency, stated that it was a fortunate turn of events that the package did not ignite in the air.
It's assumed that the incident is related to Russian sabotage. The heads of the German intelligence services warned the public against complacency at the latest meeting of the Bundestag's Parliamentary Control Panel (PKGr). For years, Russia's President Vladimir Putin has considered Germany an enemy, the intelligence service chiefs stated.
The British authorities are working closely with their German counterparts to analyze if these incidents are part of a larger coordinated attack by Russian spies against Europe. The United Kingdom's MI5, led by Ken McCallum, has publicly warned about the escalating activities of Russia's GRU, accusing them of pursuing a mission to create chaos on European streets.
