Czech police find more explosives at Palestinian embassy

Jan Gazdík Karel Hrubeš Jan Gazdík, Karel Hrubeš, Ivan Eckhardt
16. 1. 2014 11:44
Another explosive was found at Palestinian embassy compound in Prague after mysterious blast killed Palestinian ambassador on January 1, 2014
Police searching the Palestinian embassy compound
Police searching the Palestinian embassy compound | Foto: Reuters

Prague - Czech criminal investigators found another explosive at the Palestinian embassy compound in Prague during a search following the January 1 explosion that killed the Palestinian ambassador to the Czech Republic, Jamal al Jamal. Aktualne.cz has learned this from a high-placed police source, and two other senior police officers eventually confirmed the information.

"You are good journalists. I can't tell you more. An information embargo has been imposed on the case," one of them told Aktualne.cz.

Prague police spokesman Tomas Hulan said that he had "no new information" on the case. When asked if he did not know about the second explosive, he replied: "I did not say that."

Aktualne.cz has not been able to confirm if the second explosive contained a detonator and was ready to be used.

The bomb disposal team that was supposed to "clean" the compound before the arrival of investigators failed to found the second explosive, said police sources.

The bomb disposal experts acknowledge their mistake but say that they were working under great pressure, because the bomb disposal department chief, Michal Dlouhy, wanted them to complete the search as soon as possible. "At times, it was close to bullying," said a source from the department.

"It is clear that those boys made a mistake. But one must understand the pressure they faced and the kind of situation they were in when they made the mistake," said another bomb disposal expert.

Czech police confirmed earlier this month that investigators had found four Skorpion vz. 61 submachine guns and eight CZ 82 semi-automatic pistols at the site.

The Prague Criminology Institute has already examined the guns as well as the exploded safe. "I can confirm that the explosive substance has been identified," said Prague Criminology Institute spokeswoman Petra Srnkova, but refused to name the substance.

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