2007 United Kingdom letter bombs

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In the United Kingdom, a series of seven letter bombs were sent during January and February 2007 to various companies and agencies, all related in some way to DNA testing and road transport. Police have said that some of the letters have been hand written and some typed. So far all seven letter bombs have been sent in A5 Jiffy-style envelopes. ^[1] On the 19th February 2007, Miles Cooper was arrested and (on the 23rd February) appeared in court charged with 12 offences relating to the case.

1 Locations and injuries
2 Police investigation
3 See also
4 References

[edit] Locations and injuries

On 18 January a device was sent to the Forensic Science Service in Chelmsley Wood, West Midlands. On the same day, another device was sent to Orchid Cellmark in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, and another to a company, LGC Forensics, located in Culham, near Abingdon. These three incidents are believed to be the work of animal rights extremists. On the back of one of those envelopes, sent to one of the firms in Abingdon, was the name of Barry Horne, an animal rights terrorist who died in 2001 while serving an 18-year jail sentence for a firebombing campaign in Bristol.
On 3 February a device was sent to a private house in Folkestone, Kent. It was addressed to the "Senior Manager" of a dissolved security company that used to be run from the address. The man, Mike Wingfield, 53, suffered minor injuries to his hands, face and stomach. ^[2]
On 5 February, a device was sent to the Capita centre in Victoria, London, that deals with the congestion charge in London. One person was injured, and later admitted into hospital with minor injuries to her hands and stomach.
On 6 February, a device was sent to the accountancy firm Vantis plc in Wokingham, Berkshire. The firm was initially linked with dealing with road speeding fines, and was widely reported in the media as doing so; however, it later denied this. Two men received minor injuries, but did not need hospitalisation.
On 7 February, a device was sent to the main Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency centre in Swansea, south Wales. Four workers were taken to Morriston Hospital in Swansea.

[edit] Police investigation

The police investigation was codenamed Operation Hansel. A number of UK news media reported on 19 February that a man had been arrested in connection with a series of letter bomb attacks. ^[3] ^[4]On February 22nd the suspect, Miles Cooper, was charged with seven offences under the Explosive Substances Act and with five offences against the person. ^[5]