Man arrested in Perico, Jujuy, over false bomb threat at US embassy
The Federal Police arrested a 35-year-old man in Jujuy, accused of making a bomb threat that forced the evacuation of the US embassy in Buenos Aires.
Arrest in Jujuy following false bomb alarm at Palermo diplomatic building
The Argentine Federal Police detained a 35-year-old man in Perico, Jujuy, accused of making a false bomb threat against the United States embassy, located on Avenida Colombia in the Palermo neighbourhood of Buenos Aires. According to cadena3.com, the arrest was made two days after the call triggered a major emergency operation in Buenos Aires.
The incident occurred on a Wednesday, when a telephone call alerted authorities to the alleged presence of an explosive device at the diplomatic building. The authorities immediately activated the corresponding protocols and proceeded with the preventive evacuation of the building. Teams from the Explosives Division inspected each section of the building and its surroundings for several hours, until confirming that it was a false alarm and ruling out any real risk.
The investigation was placed under the charge of Federal Court No. 6, which ordered a series of measures aimed at identifying the origin of the call. Experts analysed the telephone line used and cross-referenced geolocation data, which allowed them to trace the communication to a residence in the municipality of Perico in Jujuy.
To reconstruct the call's path, the authorities received collaboration from specialists from the FBI, who provided key technical information. This assistance, combined with local analyses, was decisive in establishing the point of origin and guiding the search operation.
During the operation carried out at the Perico residence, the mobile telephone allegedly used to make the threat was seized. The suspect was detained at the scene and faces charges of public intimidation, a charge applied to those who generate collective alarm through false warnings with the potential to put the population at risk.
The case remains open. Pending proceedings include forensic analysis of the seized device and other measures aimed at determining how the communication took place and whether there was third-party involvement in the matter.
The United States embassy highlighted the work of the Argentine security forces and confirmed that the incident resulted in no injuries or material damage, although it stressed that it required the deployment of an extensive operation to ensure the safety of diplomatic personnel and the surrounding area.
Source: Google News AR — Buenos Aires