Spanish justice imposes 18-year term on octogenarian for mailing explosive devices.

A Spanish court has handed down a 18-year prison sentence to an elderly man for sending letter bombs targeting high-ranking officials and foreign embassies in Spain during 2022. Pompeyo González Pascual, aged 76, was found guilty of terrorism charges and illegal explosives manufacturing by the nation's highest criminal court, the audiencia nacional.

The packages were directed at a multitude of recipients: Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Defence Minister Margarita Robles, as well as representatives from both the US and Ukrainian embassies. Additionally, they targeted an arms manufacturer providing grenades to Ukraine and a prominent Spanish military installation.

One embassy employee received minor injuries upon opening one of the packages, while security personnel were able to intercept others before reaching their intended destinations.

The court found that González Pascual aimed to cause significant disruption in Spanish society with an intention to pressure the Spanish and American governments into ceasing support for Ukraine. The explosive content within the letters was deemed potent enough to inflict varying degrees of injury, depending on proximity and affected body parts.

Despite González Pascual's intentions, injuries did not materialize due to unforeseen circumstances. Evidence from his computer suggested that he engaged in research related to making explosive devices and visited websites focused on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

A workshop discovered at his residence contained materials typically used for producing letter bombs. González Pascual was detained during a police operation named Konvert, which translates to 'envelope' in Russian, near Miranda de Ebro last year before being placed under pre-trial custody. A judge allowed for his conditional release based on the lack of previous convictions and potential risk factors.

Prior to González Pascual's detention, Ukraine's ambassador to Spain, Serhii Pohoreltsev, implicated Russia as a possible source behind the attacks. Following the incident at one embassy, Ukraine escalated security measures at its diplomatic missions globally.