IED hurled at Belarus' embassy in Italy, no one hurt

MINSK. March 9 (Interfax) - The building of the Embassy of Belarus to Italy has been damaged by the explosion of a homemade bomb thrown by masked men at around 4 a.m. this morning, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

"One device went off in the immediate vicinity of a gas pipe," the ministry's source was quoted by the BelTA state news agency as commenting.

The explosion caused serious damage to the building, smashing windows in the consular section and deforming a metallic bench, a metallic storage press and several concrete slabs.

A second explosive device, filled with gunpowder, landed on the grounds but failed to detonate, the ministry said.

None of the embassy staff was injured, it added.

"On arriving at the scene Italian law enforcement officers tentatively classed the incident as a terrorist attack. Specialists conducted investigative procedures," the ministry said.

The authorities in Italy said they were ready to step up security around the embassy.