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U.S. Citizens Across Spain Urged to ‘Exercise Caution’ After U.S. Embassy Targeted in Letter Bomb Campaign

The first letter bomb was received at Moncloa Palace in Madrid, addressed to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, on Nov. 24.

U.S. citizens were advised by U.S. Mission Spain to be cautious and to assess their personal security in the country after the U.S. Embassy in Madrid was one recipient of a series of letter bombs.

The bomb intercepted at the security post of the U.S. Embassy in Madrid on Thursday was the sixth since Nov. 24, prompting Spanish officials to open a terrorism investigation.

The bomb sent to the U.S. Embassy was disposed of through controlled detonation and no one was injured.

“Yesterday, a suspicious package was received at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid,”  U.S. Mission Spain said in a countrywide security alert issued today. “We are aware of reports of other packages sent to other locations throughout Spain. Spanish authorities are investigating.”

The alert said that the U.S. Embassy “is functioning under normal operations” and was open to the public today “for consular services as normal.”

“U.S. citizens are advised to exercise caution and monitor local news and government websites for detailed information on this situation,” the alert continued, adding that they should “monitor local media for updates, be aware of your surroundings, review your personal security plans.”

The first letter bomb was received at Moncloa Palace in Madrid, addressed to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, on Nov. 24. No one was injured and the device was destroyed in a controlled explosion.

On Wednesday, an employee at the Ukrainian embassy in Madrid was slightly injured by a letter bomb. That same day, arms manufacturer Instalaza in Zaragoza received a letter bomb.

On Thursday, a letter bomb addressed to the European Union Satellite Centre at Torrejon Air Base was intercepted. Another letter bomb was defused at the country’s Defence Ministry before a device was received by the U.S. Embassy.

U.S. Citizens Across Spain Urged to 'Exercise Caution' After U.S. Embassy Targeted in Letter Bomb Campaign Homeland Security Today
Bridget Johnson
Bridget Johnson is the Managing Editor for Homeland Security Today. A veteran journalist whose news articles and analyses have run in dozens of news outlets across the globe, Bridget first came to Washington to be online editor and a foreign policy writer at The Hill. Previously she was an editorial board member at the Rocky Mountain News and syndicated nation/world news columnist at the Los Angeles Daily News. Bridget is a terrorism analyst and security consultant with a specialty in online open-source extremist propaganda, incitement, recruitment, and training. She hosts and presents in Homeland Security Today law enforcement training webinars studying a range of counterterrorism topics including conspiracy theory extremism, complex coordinated attacks, critical infrastructure attacks, arson terrorism, drone and venue threats, antisemitism and white supremacists, anti-government extremism, and WMD threats. She is a Senior Risk Analyst for Gate 15 and a private investigator. Bridget is an NPR on-air contributor and has contributed to USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, New York Observer, National Review Online, Politico, New York Daily News, The Jerusalem Post, The Hill, Washington Times, RealClearWorld and more, and has myriad television and radio credits including Al-Jazeera, BBC and SiriusXM.
Bridget Johnson
Bridget Johnson
Bridget Johnson is the Managing Editor for Homeland Security Today. A veteran journalist whose news articles and analyses have run in dozens of news outlets across the globe, Bridget first came to Washington to be online editor and a foreign policy writer at The Hill. Previously she was an editorial board member at the Rocky Mountain News and syndicated nation/world news columnist at the Los Angeles Daily News. Bridget is a terrorism analyst and security consultant with a specialty in online open-source extremist propaganda, incitement, recruitment, and training. She hosts and presents in Homeland Security Today law enforcement training webinars studying a range of counterterrorism topics including conspiracy theory extremism, complex coordinated attacks, critical infrastructure attacks, arson terrorism, drone and venue threats, antisemitism and white supremacists, anti-government extremism, and WMD threats. She is a Senior Risk Analyst for Gate 15 and a private investigator. Bridget is an NPR on-air contributor and has contributed to USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, New York Observer, National Review Online, Politico, New York Daily News, The Jerusalem Post, The Hill, Washington Times, RealClearWorld and more, and has myriad television and radio credits including Al-Jazeera, BBC and SiriusXM.

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