Explosions hit Chilean, Swiss embassies in Rome

Anarchists may have orchestrated apair of parcel bombings thatwounded twoworkers at the Swiss and Chilean embassies in Rome,Italy's interior minister says.

Italy'sANSA news agency quoted Roberto Maroni as saying that investigators believe anarchists were responsible for the separate attacks, reasoning that they bore similarities to mail bombs sent last month to 14 embassies in Greece.

One of the wounded is at risk of losing an eye, hospital officials told The Associated Press.

Greek police noted on Thursday that therehave been acts of "solidarity" in the past between Greek and Italian militant groups.

All embassies inRome have been informed about the latest attacks.

On Nov. 2, suspected Greek radical anarchists sent 14 mail bombs to foreign embassies in Athens, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi. Two of the devices exploded, causing no injuries.

Meanwhile inSwitzerland, authorities were investigating a suspicious package at the European Union Embassy, the Reuters news agency reported. Citing a police spokesperson in Berne, the report said parts of the building had been cleared.

Back in Rome, asuspicious package found and investigated at the Ukrainian Embassy shortly afterThursday's explosions was laterdeemed safe by Rome's police chief, Francesco Tagliente.

'Deplorable act of violence'

No one has claimed responsibility for either of the embassy attacks in Rome.

Earlier on Thursday, apackage detonated at the Chilean Embassy, slightly wounding an administrative official, Chile's foreign minister said. It was the second such attack in the Italian capital,coming justhours after an explosion at the Swiss Embassy.

Chilean Ambassador Oscar Godoydescribed the parcel at the Chilean building as smaller than a package but bigger than a letter. Ithad been addressed to the Chilean cultural attach, he said, calling the attack "an unexplainable act of terrorism irrational and brutal."

In the Chilean Embassy incident, an employee suffered non-life-threatening injuries when he opened the package, ANSA reported. Witnesses said they heard a blast outside the Chilean Embassy shortly after 3 p.m. local time.

TheSwiss Embassy attack also involved a package that detonated,while a worker was handling it in the mailroom.

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini called theSwiss Embassy incident a "deplorable act of violence" against the Swiss, and offered Italy's solidarity with the embassy staff and the worker who suffered serious injuries to bothhands.

'It's a wave of terrorism against embassies something much more worrisome than a single attack.' Gianni Alemanno, Rome mayor

Reporter Sabina Castelfranco told CBC News the 53-year-old employee at the Swiss Embassy was handling the package in the mailroom when it detonated.

"He has been taken to hospital, and another person is suffering from shock," she said, adding later that the wounded man underwent surgery but was not likely to require amputation.

While the Swiss ambassador to Italy was briefing reporters outside the Swiss Embassy on Thursday, journalists heard of the Chilean Embassy blast not far from the scene.

Asked whether he believed the attack had anything to do with domestic issues, Rome Mayor Gianni Alemannosaid Italian authorities were following an "international path" in their investigations.

"It's a wave of terrorism against embassies something much more worrisome than a single attack," he said.

Bomb disposal units are going through the Swiss Embassyto determine if there are anyother threats, Castelfrancosaid. Firefighters and Italy's Carabinieri military police were at the building, located on the Via Barnaba Oriani, north of downtown Rome.

The Chilean embassy is located at Via Po, also in the city's north end.

The Swiss Foreign Ministry did not immediately comment on the Swiss Embassy explosion.

Bothembassy explosionscome two days aftera suspicious package containing wires, pipes and explosive powder was found in a subway car in Rome.

The device did not contain a detonator and could not have exploded, bomb disposal experts and police said.