Package blasts at Swiss Embassy in Rome

A package exploded at the Swiss Embassy in Rome on Thursday, seriously injuring the person who opened it, CNN reported, citing  police sources.

The 53-year-old mail room worker was badly injured in both hands, and may lose one, police said.

He was taken to Humberto Primo hospital in Rome, according to police. They have not released his name, but said he was born in Switzerland.

There was no warning of the attack, the Swiss Foreign Ministry in Bern said.

A fire department bomb unit is on the scene, police said. Italian police are investigating the incident, the Swiss Foreign Ministry said.
There has been no claim of responsibility for the attack, which took place about noon.

The explosion happened in the mail room at the Swiss embassy, which also houses the ambassador's residence.

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini released a statement of solidarity with "the Swiss ambassador and with all the staff of the Embassy. They were victim of a violent act that we firmly condemn."