Should have bought one of these.
Posted on 05/20/2004 10:33:51 AM PDT by knighthawk
ROME (Reuters) - Two small homemade bombs have been found outside a McDonald's in Rome's outskirts with a leaflet printed with the five-pointed star of the Red Brigades guerrilla group, police say.
Police defused both devices, which they said would have caused little damage, similar to a Molotov cocktail.
Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu warned that although the devices were not powerful, the timing could be significant.
Thursday was the fifth anniversary of the murder of Massimo D'Antona, an advisor to the government on controversial labour reforms, by the Red Brigades. Pisanu said he believed the same ultra-left movement could be behind the bombs.
Each of the bombs -- one in a nylon bag and the other in a hardshell suitcase -- were made of a camping stove tied to a small amount of gunpowder from hunting shells.
Police neutralised both devises with water cannon and controlled explosions.
Both luggage contained printed material relating to the Red Brigades and slogans such as "down with imperialism and exploitation."
Staff at the restaurant called police when they noted the suitcases outside the rear of the restaurant.
The Red Brigades for the Construction of the Fighting Communist Party -- added to the European Union list of suspected terrorist organisations on Monday -- is a modern offshoot of the ultra-left Red Brigades urban guerrilla group which terrorised Italy during the 1970s and 1980s.
Such small attacks would be unusual for the group, but the interior minister said their significance should not be underestimated.
The bombs "are a message that arrive on a day marked by three very important facts," Pisanu told ANSA news agency.
The minister was also referring to the fact that Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was due to address parliament on Thursday on the conflict in Iraq, where Italy has 2,700 troops and the funeral today of an Italian soldier killed there.
Italy has been on high alert for terror attacks in recent months and security is expected to be tightened even more ahead of a visit by U.S. President George W. Bush on June 4.
Ping
What's the point of putting literature in a bomb?
as opposed to store bought ?
- what the heck is a McDonalds doing in Italy ?
I'll never forget my visit to Bangor Maine in '91 - the McDonalds had "McLobster cakes"
I'm picturing McCalamari or McRavioli
some things are just wrong
To warn people of course. "This Bomb Will Self Destruct in Ten Seconds"
So, is this revenge for those new salads?
You mislinked:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1139183/posts
McDonalds has done rather well in Italy. There's an extremely large McDonalds that is always busy about 1/2 a block from the 'spanish steps' in Rome. It's a big time hangout area for youths.
My kid has the sidewinder model - this might be a fun one to get though
The first thing that went through my mind when I read the
title was "Who the hell is Rome McDonald"
are there any white castles in rome? they have gutbombs.
I don't think so either.
Thank you. Sorry about that.
The commies are on the move, worldwide.
It all seems rather shameful that weve adulterated a culture that is several thousand years old with American fast food - You dont really see them diluting our culture (nascar) with pasta ads ;)
LOL bwahahah
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