ATHENS, GREECE (BNO NEWS) — Greece on Wednesday said that the parcel bombs that targeted several embassies in Greece and officials across Europe are not linked to the terrorist organization al-Qaeda.

The announcement was made by Greek government spokesman Giorgos Petalotis on Tuesday, and police said a radical leftist group is suspected of being behind the blast. Two men were arrested shortly after the first attacks on Monday.

In addition, the Greek Civil Aviation Authority, on the recommendation of the police, decided to suspend air shipments for all mail and packages abroad for 48 hours after bombs were sent through mail on Monday and Tuesday.

On Monday, three parcel bombs were sent to the embassies of Belgium, the Netherlands and Mexico, while a fourth was addressed to French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

On Tuesday, more bombs exploded at the Swiss and Russian embassies in Athens without causing casualties. The first blast took place at the Swiss embassy after a small bomb was thrown into the courtyard of the embassy and injured one worker.

Shortly after, a controlled explosion took place near the Greek parliament, after the interception of a suspicious package addressed to the Chilean Embassy. The package was delivered by an employee of a courier company and officials detonated the bomb after police dogs discovered it.

Another bomb was sent to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi but was discovered on board a private mail courier company plane at the Bologna airport.

Overall, at least nine bombs or suspicious devices have been sent this week to various embassies in Athens and to the offices of high-profiled officials across Europe.

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