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{{Short description|2007 terrorist incident in the UK}}
In the [[United Kingdom]], a series of seven '''[[mailbomb|letter bombs]]''' were sent during January and February 2007 to various companies and agencies, all related in some way to [[DNA testing]] and [[road transport]]. Police said that some of the letters were hand written and some typed. All seven letter bombs were sent in [[ISO 216|A5]] [[Sealed Air Corporation|Jiffy]]-style envelopes.<ref name = "Sky">[http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1250528,00.htm Sky News].</ref> On 19 February 2007, Miles Cooper was arrested and (on 23 February) appeared in court charged with 12 offences relating to the case. On 27 September, he was found guilty of all 12 charges.▼
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
▲In the
==Locations and injuries==▼
* On 18 January a device was sent to the [[Forensic Science Service]] in [[Chelmsley Wood]], [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]]. On the same day, another device was sent to [[Orchid Cellmark]] in [[Abingdon
* On 3 February a device was sent to a private house in [[Folkestone]], [[Kent]]. It was addressed to the "Senior Manager" of a dissolved security company that used to be run from the address. The man, Mike Wingfield, 53, suffered minor injuries to his hands, face and stomach.
* On 5 February, a device was sent to the [[Capita Group|Capita]] centre in [[Victoria, London|Victoria]], London, that deals with the [[London congestion charge|congestion charge]] in London. One person was injured, and later admitted into hospital with minor injuries to her hands and stomach.▼
* On 6 February, a device was sent to the accountancy firm
* On 7 February, a device was sent to the main [[Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency]] centre in [[Swansea]], south Wales. Four workers were taken to [[Morriston Hospital]] in Swansea.▼
==Miles Cooper==
Miles Cooper, a 27
He appeared in court to answer 12 charges related to the bombings on 23 February 2007. Seven of these charges relate to the seven [[letter bomb]]s, while the other five relate to the injuries caused by the successful bombs. All of the low-impact explosive devices were sent to state institutions and private companies that Cooper believed were connected to the rise in [[surveillance]] society. He pleaded not guilty to the charge of intent to cause injury or death,<ref>[http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/indepth/2007/mail%20bomber/mail%20bomber.lpf "Letter bomb suspect's not guilty plea in court"]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Cambridge Evening News, 23 May 2007</ref>
On 28 September 2007, he was sentenced to an indeterminate term in prison. Sentencing him, Judge Julian Hall told Cooper "You are a terrorist, there can be no mistake", and said that he would have to serve 4 years and 149 days before he would be eligible to apply for parole.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7017943.stm | work=BBC News | title=Letter-bombing caretaker jailed | date=28 September 2007 | accessdate=12 May 2010}}</ref> Judge Hall added "You come across as a quite unemotional young man with little empathy for others."<ref>
▲==Locations and injuries==
▲* On 18 January a device was sent to the [[Forensic Science Service]] in [[Chelmsley Wood]], [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]]. On the same day, another device was sent to Orchid Cellmark in [[Abingdon, Oxfordshire]], and another to a company, LGC Forensics, located in [[Culham]], near Abingdon. These three incidents were believed to be the work of [[animal rights]] extremists. On the back of one of those envelopes, sent to one of the firms in Abingdon, was the name of [[Barry Horne]], an animal rights activist who died in 2001 while serving an 18-year jail sentence for a [[firebombing]] campaign in [[Bristol]].
▲* On 3 February a device was sent to a private house in [[Folkestone]], [[Kent]]. It was addressed to the "Senior Manager" of a dissolved security company that used to be run from the address. The man, Mike Wingfield, 53, suffered minor injuries to his hands, face and stomach. <ref name = "BBC">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/6338519.stm BBC News].</ref>
▲* On 5 February, a device was sent to the [[Capita Group|Capita]] centre in [[Victoria, London|Victoria]], London, that deals with the [[London congestion charge|congestion charge]] in London. One person was injured, and later admitted into hospital with minor injuries to her hands and stomach.
▲* On 6 February, a device was sent to the accountancy firm [[Vantis plc]] in [[Wokingham]], [[Berkshire]]. The accountancy firm acted as the [[registered office]] of Speed Check Services Limited, a company that provided digital speed cameras to police. Two men received minor injuries, but did not need hospitalisation.
▲* On 7 February, a device was sent to the main [[Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency]] centre in [[Swansea]], south Wales. Four workers were taken to [[Morriston Hospital]] in Swansea.
== Police investigation==
The police investigation was codenamed Operation Hansel. A number of UK news media reported on 19 February that a man had been arrested in connection with a series of letter bomb attacks.
<ref>{{cite news|url=
<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6375131.stm|title=Letter bomb suspect is arrested|publisher=BBC News|date=2007-02-19|accessdate=2007-02-19}}</ref> On 22 February the suspect, Miles Cooper, was charged with seven offences under the [[Explosive Substances Act 1883]] and with five offences against the person.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6387867.stm|title=Man charged over letter bombings|publisher=BBC|date=2007-02-22|accessdate=2007-02-22}}</ref>
==See also==
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{{wikinews|Letter bomb explodes near Scotland Yard in London, England}}
{{reflist}}
*[http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyID=2007-02-06T183217Z_01_L06681205_RTRUKOC_0_UK-BRITAIN-LETTERBOMB.xml Reuters
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/berkshire/6334693.stm BBC
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6331427.stm BBC
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6338829.stm Warning after new bomb blast]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/6338743.stm BBC In pictures]
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*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6345325.stm Name of second activist on bomb BBC News]
[[Category:
[[Category:
[[Category:2007 crimes in the United Kingdom|Letter bombs]]
[[Category:Improvised explosive device bombings in England]]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in the United Kingdom in 2007]]
[[Category:January 2007 events in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:February 2007 events in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Letter and package bombings]]
[[Category:2007 in England]]
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