Russia suspected of plot to send explosives to N. America via air cargo

European and US intelligence officials believe Russia is behind a plan that would ultimately place incendiary devices on planes to North America through air cargo, according to people familiar with the matter.

Poland's National Prosecutor's Office said on its website that it is investigating the alleged involvement of a foreign intelligence service in sabotage activities on the territory of Poland and other European Union states as well as Britain, but did not specify Russia as the perpetrator.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Nov. 4 on Moscow's alleged goal of ultimately targeting the U.S.

The authorities are taking the incidents seriously and intelligence agencies are expecting Moscow to try and stage similar acts of sabotage in the future, one of the people said.

Poland's interior minister said the moves fit Russia's pattern.

"The year 2024 brought various acts of sabotage in Poland and other European countries," Mr. Tomasz Siemoniak said. "Our intelligence services and prosecutors have no doubt that Russian clients are behind this. The attempts to place explosives into courier shipments fit into the logic of Russian sabotage and do raise the threat up to a new level."