Officials Say Anarchists Responsible for Italy Bombings

ROME (AP) — A top Italian official says purported anarchists who sent mail bombs to the embassies of Chile and Switzerland wanted to avenge blows by those countries against their movement.

Small packages exploded when they were opened, seriously wounding two people at the Rome embassies.

Alfredo Mantovano, undersecretary of the interior ministry which includes anti-terrorism police, says the Swiss were targeted because intensified Swiss-Italian cooperation led to the recent arrest of several anarchists. Mantovano also told Italian radio Friday the Chileans were targeted because last year an anarchist died in Chile.

Almost immediately after the twin blasts, Italy's interior minister said anarchists were the likely bombers.

A written claim found at one of the embassies cited the name of a Greek anarchist killed in a shootout with police in Athens in March.