Letter bomb suspect sought to end Spain's support for Ukraine, judge says

FILE PHOTO: Spanish national police officers lead away a 74-year-old man under arrest on suspicion of being the sender of letter-bombs in November and December to the Ukrainian and U.S. embassies and several institutions in Spain, in Miranda de Ebro, Spain January 25, 2023. REUTERS/Vincent West/File Photo

MADRID (Reuters) - A 74-year-old Spanish man arrested over a spate of letter bombs sent to institutions including the prime minister's office and the Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid in late 2022 was trying to pressure Spain to drop its support for Ukraine, an investigating magistrate said on Friday.

Pompeyo Gonzalez Pascual is under formal investigation over two possible aggravated terrorism charges and four terrorism charges, the magistrate said during his first court hearing, according to the court documents released on Friday. He was ordered to be detained pending any formal charges and further hearings.