Prodi Escapes Uninjured As Bomb Explodes

A parcel bomb exploded in the hands of European Commission President Romano Prodi and burst into flames as he opened it yesterday, but he escaped unhurt. The bomb arrived at his home in Bologna, northern Italy, during his Christmas break from Brussels.

'Prodi opened it himself, carefully. It exploded, making a big flame. He was not hurt and there was no damage', Marco Vignudelli, Prodi's spokesman, said. 'It was a small bomb. I think it was not a very professional one,' he added.

Prodi emerged from his home late yesterday to assure the public he was fine. 'There was no damage of any type, really nothing,' he said. The packet contained a book, whose pages had been cut to insert explosive powder, he added. He noted that, due to recent threats against him, he had exercised great caution in opening it. 'I kept it fairly far away. There was a big flame but without an explosion,' he said.

The book was a copy of the novel The Pleasure by Gabriele D'Annunzio, a supporter of Fascism before his death in 1938. Prodi joked that the choice of book might have been ironic.

Italian police are now investigating the attack which comes a week after two small bombs exploded in rubbish bins a few yards from the commission president's home, again without injuring anyone. Marcello Fulvi, the head of the Bologna police, said he suspected those devices were the work of anarchists.