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Letter Bomb Injures Worker at I.M.F. Office in Paris Letter Bomb Injures Worker at I.M.F. Office in Paris
(about 4 hours later)
PARIS — A letter bomb exploded Thursday in the Paris offices of the International Monetary Fund, lightly injuring one person and prompting French authorities to announce an investigation of the incident as a possible terrorist attack. PARIS — A letter bomb exploded in the Paris offices of the International Monetary Fund on Thursday, lightly wounding one person and prompting the French authorities to announce an investigation of the incident as a possible terrorist attack.
The explosion came one day after the German authorities in Berlin discovered a parcel bomb sent by a Greek terrorist organization to the office of the German finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, but a direct connection between the two episodes has not been established. The explosion came one day after the German authorities in Berlin discovered a parcel bomb apparently sent by a Greek terrorist organization to the office of the German finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, and there were indications that the Paris device also was sent from Greece.
Although there were no fatalities, the incident at such a high-profile target renewed jitters in France, which remains under a state of emergency after terrorist attacks in Paris in 2015 and in Nice last year. Although there were no fatalities, the episode at such a high-profile target in Paris renewed jitters in France, which remains under a state of emergency after terrorist attacks in Paris in 2015 and in Nice last year.
Michel Cadot, the Paris police chief, told reporters at the scene that the explosion at the I.M.F. occurred just before noon when a secretary, who has not been identified, opened an envelope addressed to the I.M.F. representative in France. Michel Cadot, the Paris police chief, told reporters at the scene that the explosion at the monetary fund occurred just before noon when a secretary, who has not been identified, opened an envelope addressed to the fund’s representative in France.
The explosion injured the secretary, who suffered injuries to the face and eardrums, but two other people who were nearby were not hurt, Mr. Cadot said. The parcel, he said, contained what appeared to be an artisanal “pyrotechnical device,” or a “big firecracker” that caused only limited damage. The explosion wounded the secretary, who suffered injuries to the face and eardrums, but two other people who were nearby were not hurt, Mr. Cadot said. The parcel, he said, contained what appeared to be a handmade “pyrotechnical device,” or a “big firecracker” that caused only limited damage.
A spokeswoman for the Paris prosecutor’s office said it was opening an investigation into the attack, specifically into attempted murder in relation to a terrorist undertaking, terrorist conspiracy and destruction with explosives in relation to a terrorist undertaking.A spokeswoman for the Paris prosecutor’s office said it was opening an investigation into the attack, specifically into attempted murder in relation to a terrorist undertaking, terrorist conspiracy and destruction with explosives in relation to a terrorist undertaking.
Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the I.M.F., said in a statement released from Frankfurt that the fund was “working closely with the French authorities to investigate the incident and ensure the safety of our staff.” Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the monetary fund, said in a statement from Frankfurt that the organization was “working closely with the French authorities to investigate the incident and ensure the safety of our staff.”
The attack occurred in western Paris, not far from the Arc de Triomphe and the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, one of the most famous streets in Paris. It came on the same day that a Greek terrorist cell claimed responsibility for the parcel bomb that had been addressed to Mr. Schäuble discovered in Berlin the day before. The attack occurred in western Paris, not far from the Arc de Triomphe and the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, one of the most famous streets in Paris.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the Paris device, but a Greek terrorist cell claimed responsibility on Thursday for the parcel bomb addressed to Mr. Schäuble that was discovered in Berlin the day before.
That package contained a mixture of explosives that could have caused considerable damage and injury if anyone had opened it, the Berlin police said.That package contained a mixture of explosives that could have caused considerable damage and injury if anyone had opened it, the Berlin police said.
The German police said that the homemade bomb included material used in the production of pyrotechnics, and the German news media confirmed that the package bore Greek stamps and was sent from Attica, in the Athens area.The German police said that the homemade bomb included material used in the production of pyrotechnics, and the German news media confirmed that the package bore Greek stamps and was sent from Attica, in the Athens area.
The sender listed on the package was Adonis Georgiadis, a prominent lawmaker and spokesman for the Greek conservative opposition New Democracy. He is broadly perceived as backing some of the painful economic changes imposed on Greece by its international creditors — led by the I.M.F. and Mr. Schäuble. The package was marked as if it had been sent by Adonis Georgiadis, a prominent lawmaker and spokesman for the main Greek conservative opposition party, New Democracy. He is broadly perceived as backing some of the painful economic changes imposed on Greece by its international creditors — led by the monetary fund and Mr. Schäuble.
A spokesman for the Greek national police, Theodoros Chronopoulos, said it was “too early” to link the blast at the I.M.F. offices in Paris to the Greek terrorist group, which calls itself Conspiracy of the Cells of Fire. A spokesman for the Greek national police, Theodoros Chronopoulos, said it was “too early” to link the blast at the monetary fund’s Paris offices to the Greek terrorist group, which calls itself Conspiracy of the Cells of Fire.
“We are waiting to hear from the French authorities,” Mr. Chronopoulos said. “We have to see what’s left of the device, if a name or address is visible.” But the Greek minister for public order, Nikos Toskas, said on Greek television that the French authorities had found similarities between the Paris and Berlin parcel bombs. Mr. Toskas said the Paris device had also been found to have come from Greece, and that it, too, was marked as if it had been sent by a New Democracy politician — this time, Vassilis Kikilias, a party spokesman and Mr. Toskas’s predecessor at the ministry.
The militants have described themselves as a nihilist guerrilla operation, and the group has been designated as a terrorist organization by Europol, Europe’s law enforcement agency, and by the State Department of the United States. The militant group that claimed the Berlin attack has described itself as a nihilist guerrilla operation, and it has been designated as a terrorist organization by Europol, Europe’s law enforcement agency, and by the United States Department of State.
The group has claimed responsibility for sending a series of parcel bombs to several European leaders since the beginning of Greece’s economic crisis, including Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany in 2010. The group has condemned the austerity measures imposed on Greek society. It has also pledged to fight “the system of power,” and in its statement on Thursday claimed that it would “continue stronger.” The group has claimed responsibility for sending parcel bombs to several European leaders since the beginning of Greece’s economic crisis, including Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany in 2010. It has condemned the austerity measures imposed on Greek society and pledged to fight “the system of power.” In its statement on Thursday, it claimed that it would “continue stronger.” But it did not mention the Paris attack.
Ms. Lagarde, in her statement, reaffirmed “the I.M.F.’s resolve to continue our work in line with our mandate.”Ms. Lagarde, in her statement, reaffirmed “the I.M.F.’s resolve to continue our work in line with our mandate.”
The Greek government is in the middle of negotiating terms of its third international bailout since 2010, this one valued at 86 billion euros, or about $92 billion.The Greek government is in the middle of negotiating terms of its third international bailout since 2010, this one valued at 86 billion euros, or about $92 billion.
Greece’s creditors have been pushing the government to pass further austerity measures in exchange for the release of funds that the government needs before July in order to avoid defaulting on its debt.Greece’s creditors have been pushing the government to pass further austerity measures in exchange for the release of funds that the government needs before July in order to avoid defaulting on its debt.
Greece has been asking for additional debt relief in exchange for adopting further austerity measures, while the I.M.F. and Germany have been at odds on whether such relief should be granted; the fund has advocated a more forgiving approach. Greece has been asking for additional debt relief in exchange for adopting further austerity measures, while the monetary fund and Germany have been at odds on whether such relief should be granted; the fund has advocated a more forgiving approach.
“We’re still targeted, here, unfortunately, it is the I.M.F., but this is France, and I want to tell all those working in that great institution that we’re with them,” President François Hollande said during a visit to Toulon, on France’s Mediterranean Sea coast, alluding to the fact that France has been targeted more frequently in recent years than any other country in Europe.“We’re still targeted, here, unfortunately, it is the I.M.F., but this is France, and I want to tell all those working in that great institution that we’re with them,” President François Hollande said during a visit to Toulon, on France’s Mediterranean Sea coast, alluding to the fact that France has been targeted more frequently in recent years than any other country in Europe.
He added that the authorities would track down the “persons responsible and we will do it with tenacity, perseverance and until the end.” He added that the authorities would track down the “persons responsible, and we will do it with tenacity, perseverance and until the end.”
The police and firefighters were quick to arrive at the I.M.F. offices on Iena Avenue, which was temporarily closed to traffic as the authorities quietly secured the area. The police and firefighters were quick to arrive at the monetary fund’s offices on Iena Avenue, which was temporarily closed to traffic while the authorities secured the area. People who had been working in the building waited outside a perimeter, unsure what to do next.
Employees and consultants working in the building waited outside a perimeter, unsure what to do next. “They told us to leave, and we left, and here we are learning about things,” said Anneke Slob, a consultant visiting from the Netherlands to advise the International Finance Corporation, a sister agency to the monetary fund.
“They told us to leave, and we left, and here we are learning about things,” said Anneke Slob, a Dutch consultant visiting from the Netherlands to advise the International Finance Corporation, a sister agency to the I.M.F. She said her consulting team was in a meeting with employees of the finance corporation when they realized something was wrong, but there was “no panic at all.”
She said her consulting team was in a meeting with I.F.C. employees when they realized something was wrong, but there was “no panic at all,” Ms. Slob said.
“We didn’t stop our meeting,” Ms. Slob said as she stood near luggage that the police had retrieved from the building.“We didn’t stop our meeting,” Ms. Slob said as she stood near luggage that the police had retrieved from the building.