Letter Bombs In Greece, Suspicious Packages From Yemen, And More Spur Security Concerns

Bombings across the world made headlines in the last few days, as multiple world leaders were targeted, embassies faced blasts, an oil pipeline exploded, and more. The chaos has caused nations across the globe to tighten security and begin investigations.

On Friday, Obama announced a "credible terrorist threat" after US-bound packages containing explosive material were found in Dubai and Britain. Searches of airports along the Eastern seaboard of the US followed, as well as the grounding of an Emirates passenger plane. Dozens more suspicious packages were eventually searched as the US pointed to Yemen as their origin. You can view a timeline of those events here.

Yemen is suffering it's own crisis today, as suspected al-Qaeda militants blew up an oil pipeline in Southern Yemen, causing an oil leak and spewing black clouds into the sky. Yemeni authorities are currently charging radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki in absentia for his role in terrorist attacks against the US.

Meanwhile, in Athens, a spate of mail bombs exploded outside of foreign embassies, while suspicious packages headed to France's President Nicholas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were seized. Greece is blaming far-left groups for the attacks.

Finally, eight bombs ripped through Baghdad on Tuesday afternoon, killing at least 62 people. Iraq is still reeling from the siege of an Iraqi church that left 52 dead on Monday.

Below, view photos of the recent surge in worldwide bombings.

PHOTOS:

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October 29

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This image provided by CBS News shows a printer toner cartridge with wires and powder found aboard a plane in East Midlands, north of London. The package in which the cartridge was found was one of two packages seized Friday addressed to Chicago-area synagogues.

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This image provided by CBS News shows a printer toner cartridge with wires and powder found aboard a plane in East Midlands, north of London. The package in which the cartridge was found was one of two packages seized Friday addressed to Chicago-area synagogues.

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Slideshow by Curtis M. Wong.

Comments

[dbmetzger]

06:34 PM on 11/04/2010

Greek Shipping Suspended after Mail Bombs
Greek police say the country's civil aviation authorities are suspending all deliveries of mail and parcels abroad for 48 hours after bombs arriving at several European embassies, and one at Angela Merkel's office were traced back to Greece. http://www.newslook.com/videos/262945-greek-shipping-suspended-after-mail-bombs?autoplay=true

[Hypocrites are Watching]

03:38 PM on 11/04/2010

Look am I just insane or just plain stupid (maybe just brain damaged naivety [is my bet]) to think would it be so bad to just sit down ask what we all as a people need/can do to stop this!!!?!??!? To get everyone involved no matter how small their voice! You wanna talk bravery that would be brave and courageous, much more than the bomb or the ArmaLite yet peace seems to be a dirty word. I know I lived in Belfast for many years and some people just don’t want peace they want death and as long as we let those who govern us throw stones at others it is never going to stop. I just cant take all this killing any more it is making me sick I feel it eating away at my spirit little by little and I am a vegetarian pacifist I can only imagine what this is doing to people of a more (how do I say) aggressive disposition!! Sure I get angry even frustrated but I couldn’t see my self killing anyone. There are far worse and better punishments when punishment is needed. But I’m sure my voice will by drowned in the tumult of those clamoring for blood. And those who are calling me wuss (and far worse). I wait and see what we shall become…..

[oneyippie]

11:52 AM on 11/03/2010

Where is the story about the Baghdad bombings?

120 ppl killed, 19 car bombs, no story at all on HP...

[imonlyhereforthelaughs]

04:08 PM on 11/03/2010

Nothing new to report.

[Scent]

11:49 AM on 11/03/2010

Sorry, but now they tell us the oh so perfect and dangerous terrorists send those packages FROM YEMEN?!?!?

How stupid do they think we are to believe THAT BS?

The same CIA that produced all those pieces of fake evidence on Osama Bin Laden now tells us they know Al Qaida did this. - But it is the politicians of facist intent they support who gain by it because they now can take more human rights away from the people they want to trun into slaves.

I do not believe for ONE SECOND that this was not AGAIN done by the people who bombed Europe as "GLADIO" for decades to make the people there vote ultra right wing.

[banker67]

04:12 PM on 11/03/2010

The first problem is that your idea sounds so far-fetched, and you can be so easily dismissed as 'another conspiracy nut."
The second problem is that there's so much evidence to support so many elements of your view.
It would be comforting to believe that so many U.S. security agencies really didn't know a great deal about so many of the pilots who crashed planes into the World Trade Center.
It would be reassuring to believe that Cheney didn't have the entire Iraq war planned long before the WTC attack and hadn't met secretly in the VP mansion with the major players of Big Oil.
It would be nice to think that not just the Saudis were allowed to fly all across the United States -- and leave with all their friends -- after the WTC attack, and that 15 of the 19 hijackers weren't Saudi.
It would be nice to think that the far right is not the primary beneficiary of all these acts of terror, threats of terror and rumors of terror.
It would be nice...

[Sara Lira]

08:37 AM on 11/03/2010

Who believes that the 9/11 attacks were an inside job? I'm curious to know why do you believe that? or why not?

[doyougetit]

05:55 AM on 11/03/2010

How can you fight an enemy like this? History has proven guerrilla tactics are America's Achilles heel, this is shaping up to be an endless conflict in which innocent civilians are becoming regular casualties. I propose diplomacy with so called terrorist, because at this rate no one is winning, but more civilians will be the ones losing if something doesn't shake.

[DC]

03:45 AM on 11/03/2010

The stories keep changing and seem to cover a ghost in the windmills of frightented minds. The fear and security industry is growing fast.
Yemen says UPS planes never take off or land in it
[30/October/2010]

SANA’A, Oct. 30 (Saba) – No UPS cargo planes left Yemen to other countries in the last days and there are no direct flights from Yemen to the United Kingdom or the United States, a Yemeni official said, after allegations that British and U.S. officials had found suspicious packages on planes that originated in Yemen.

For an interesting discussion on these developments and use of the shock doctrine for control:
http://mondoweiss.net/2010/11/on-the-sabbath-the-rabbis-pushed-the-shock-doctrine.html#comments

[OdinOfTheNorth]

02:48 AM on 11/03/2010

I find it appalling the Dear Leader does not know the difference between a "credible[1] terrorist threat" and a “real terrorist threat" when it comes to REAL explosives.

1] credible: offering reasonable grounds for being believed. Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary. So much for a Harvard Law School education.

[Blackorpheus]

02:04 AM on 11/03/2010

Let's gather on the mountain. It's the beginning of the end. (The mountain has been strip-mined. Can it wait till I finish texting?)

[Grim Al]

07:31 PM on 11/02/2010

Amazing job by the US of bringing stability to Iraq!

[greatness891]

06:29 PM on 11/02/2010

Came the terrorist bombings in Baghdad today as follows::

1. The holy city of Alkadhimiya (three car bombs)

2. Noor city(car bombs)

3. Jihad (car bomb)

4. Abu Dshir (car bomb)

5. Al Rashidiya (car bomb)

6. Sadr City (car bomb)

7. Abu Ghraib (car bomb)

8. Bayaa area (car bomb) and two explosive devices in the twentieth Street

9. City Sha'ab(car bomb)

10. Three bombs exploded near the Imam Ali Mosque in Al-Kamaliya
11. The killing of 6 mortar shells at the area of Ghazaliya

12. Mosque Nida'a (car bomb)

13. Rahmaniya (car bomb)

14. Mortar shells at the Shiite shrine in the Jawadain Alkriet

15. Two explosive devices in Saidiyah
16. Bomb in New Baghdad

[climbing panda]

05:13 PM on 11/02/2010

so, does this mean oreilly was wrong?

[SamSeven]

03:59 PM on 11/02/2010

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0%2C7340%2CL-3977847%2C00.html

Minister Katz: Israel on bomb alert since Thursday

Transportation minister hints state knew about mail terror plot before it was publicly revealed Friday. 'Since Thursday Israeli representatives have been securing shipments to Israel from airports worldwide,' he says

[constitutional 1]

03:38 PM on 11/02/2010

Huffpo trying tp spin this story?
"blamed on Greek far-left extremists"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/02/athens-mail-bombs-explode_n_777587.html