By Carrington Walker
Copyright dailyrecord
A NATO country claims it has uncovered a network of Russian-linked terrorists who planned on carrying out devastating attacks across Europe , including the UK, using explosives hidden in everyday items. Lithuania’s Prosecutor General’s Office and the Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau disclosed that a native resident, aged 52, posted four parcels from the capital city Vilnius on July 19, 2024, using DHL and DPD courier services. After intercepting the packages, bomb squads discovered they contained homemade incendiary devices stuffed in massage cushions and cosmetic tubes, packed with thermite. Two parcels were destined for the UK, via air travel, while two travelled to Poland by truck. One device exploded at Leipzig Airport on July 20 as it was being prepared for loading onto a DHL flight. Two days later, a parcel exploded at a DHL warehouse in Birmingham. Officials have said the devices had the potential to cause severe fires and fatal consequences. Now, a joint investigation, coordinated by Eurojust, involving intelligence agencies from the UK, U.S., Lithuania, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Latvia, Estonia, the United States, and Canada is underway. The number of people detained in Lithuania, or other countries, is not yet known, though 15 suspects have been charged, with investigators adding they understand the plot was organised by Russian nationals with links to Russian military intelligence services. Some suspects are thought to have been linked with the foiled arson attempt at an IKEA store in Vilnius in May 2024. Citizens of Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Ukraine have been charged so far, reportedly recruited via the Telegram messaging app and paid in cryptocurrency. Explosives were retrieved from several connected searches at properties in Poland, Latvia, and Estonia, found in canned food containers, along with detonators with an explosive yield equivalent to more than six kilograms of TNT lined up for further attacks. The investigation is ongoing.
