Nail Bomb Attack at British Restaurant

Thu, May 22, 2008 at 11:28:41 am PDT

Man injured after TWO ‘nail bombs’ are found in busy city centre restaurant.

A city centre was evacuated today after two bombs were found - at least one of which exploded - at a busy lunchtime cafe.

A man, who is believed to have set off the explosive device, was injured and has been taken into custody. At least one of the devices was believed to be a nail bomb.

The Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall, Stephen Otter, said tonight: “We can now confirm there were two explosive devices found at the scene.” He said they were both in the same area of the Giraffe restaurant at the Princesshay shopping centre, in Exeter, although he would not give exact details of where. He said they had both been made safe. He could not say what kind of devices they were.

The 22-year-old man was taken to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and the area was sealed off by police. Officers said he suffered lacerations to his eye and some facial burning.

They are trying to find out what sort of device caused the explosion and whether there are any others still live.

Forensic experts have been called to the scene and a Royal Navy bomb disposal team from Plymouth are on stand by. At least one device is thought to be a home made nail or letter bomb which may have exploded while being assembled or primed in the toilets of the restaurant.

Eyewitness Peter Lacey, who was in the restaurant with his wife, said: “There were three explosions. ”They sounded more like gunshots than a bomb, like a lightbulb exploding. They came from a locked toilet.“

UPDATE at 5/22/08 12:21:56 pm:

To my great surprise, the perpetrator does not appear to be a Buddhist: Muslim convert held after nail bomb blast in restaurant.