Spanish Police Discover Arms In North Korean Embassy Building In Madrid - Reports

Sumaira FH Published March 14, 2019 | 09:18 PM

Spanish police have discovered large quantities of weapons during their searches of the North Korean embassy in Madrid, which was attacked by unknown individuals in February, local media reported on Thursday

MADRID (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th March, 2019) Spanish police have discovered large quantities of weapons during their searches of the North Korean embassy in Madrid, which was attacked by unknown individuals in February, local media reported on Thursday.

Reports saying that a group of attackers had broken into the North Korean embassy in Madrid emerged in Spanish media in February. The incident reportedly occurred on February 22 and involved the attackers effectively taking diplomatic personnel hostage for several hours and seizing their computers. One of the employees managed to escape and contact the police.

On Wednesday, El Pais newspaper reported that the Spanish police and intelligence officers investigating the attack believed the CIA may have been behind the incident.

According to El Mundo newspaper, the search was carried out right after the incident on February 22. The police found rifles and several pieces of short-barreled weapons. Sources of the newspaper did not specify the exact amount of arms but noted that these arms could have been used by the attackers.

The assailants, whose identities have been classified, handcuffed the embassy employees and beat them while Charge d'Affaires ad interim Yu Sok So was taken to a room for questioning, the El Mundo said. The attackers reportedly tried to get some information about former North Korean Ambassador to Spain Kim Hyok Chol, who was one of the key figures who promoted the latest meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un the meeting was held in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi on February 27-28.

The attackers reportedly took several computers and documents from the embassy building. Yu Sok So told the police that they were South Korean nationals. Days after the incident, South Korean Ambassador to Spain Chun Hong-jo said that his government had no links to this incident.

In September 2017, Spain expelled Kim Hyok Chol following North Korea's nuclear and missile tests.