Judge orders bail for Spanish letter bomb suspect

MADRID (Reuters) – A 74-year-old Spanish man accused of sending a series of letter bombs in late 2022 will be bailed under supervision on Friday, after a high court judge concluded there was no risk that he would re-offend.

Pompeyo Gonzalez Pascual, who faces terrorism charges for allegedly sending primed letters to six institutions including the prime minister’s office and the Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid, has been in jail since January.

Investigating judge Jose Luis Calama said he believed there was no longer a risk that Gonzalez would destroy evidence, nor indications that he could re-offend.

Ordering his release following the conclusion of the evidence-gathering phase of the investigation, Calama also cited Gonzalez’s age and the fact that he had no criminal record as factors.

Gonzalez, who was due to leave jail later on Friday, has had his passport withdrawn, is barred from leaving the country and must appear weekly at the nearest court and inform that court of his whereabouts at all times.

It could still take several months before the investigation is wrapped up, eventually leading to a trial.

Investigators have already concluded that at least three of the parcels were sent from Burgos, near Gonzalez’s home.

He is accused of sending six letter bombs in total between Nov. 24 and Dec. 2 to the Ukrainian and U.S. embassies, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s office, the Defence Ministry, an air force base and a weapons manufacturer.

Most were defused, although a Ukrainian embassy employee was slightly injured when one blew up.

(Reporting by Emma Pinedo; editing by Charlie Devereux and John Stonestreet)