Strengere beveiliging Europees Parlement na bombrieven (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The European Parliament is being called to tighten its security measures after a series of letter bombs have targeted euro-parliamentarians.

The leader of the biggest political group in the European parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, himself one of those targeted, will insist tomorrow (8 January) during the meeting of the political group leaders that the security services be improved.

After letter bombs were received on Monday in the offices of three MEPs, two in Brussels and one in Manchester, the European Parliament increased its security levels from white to yellow.

An Italian anarchist group is being treated as the likely source of the bombing wave.

The packages were all sent from Bologna in Italy and are believed to be linked to similar letter bombs that were sent to other EU figures in December, including the President of the Commission, Romano Prodi and the President of the European Central Bank, Jean-Claude Trichet.

Controls of the mail

"We need proper leadership, we need professional leadership in the security service", Mr Pöttering said. But he added that it is not time to lay the blame on anyone as it was the first time that the European Parliament has been the object of an attack of this type.

"I do hope that we can increase security of our staff because these are the people that are affected first and foremost. When we're looking at the controls of the mail that are coming into the building, well this is something that has to be improved", he added.

The European Commission yesterday said it was satisfied that its security arrangements are sufficient to eliminate any similar danger.