A suspicious package was intercepted at German Chancellor Angela Merkel's offices Tuesday and is being inspected for explosives, the Federal Crime Office (BKA) said. Merkel was out of the country at the time, in Belgium on an official visit. A BKA spokeswoman said the parcel was being tested for dangerous material on site at Merkel's Berlin chancellery but that results would not be available until Wednesday.
Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a statement that the parcel had been uncovered in the mail room, in a separate building from Merkel's offices but part of the chancellery complex. Berlin daily Der Tagesspiegel said the package contained gunpowder and was addressed to Merkel personally with the sender given as the Greek economy ministry. It was delivered by UPS.