Bomb explodes at Corsican police barracks

PARIS, France -- A bomb, thought to be the work of separatists, has exploded at a police barracks on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica overnight.

A policeman who was near a wall surrounding the barracks when the bomb exploded was treated for shock, and windows were torn from their hinges by the force of the blast.

Although no one claimed responsibility for the attack, police said they suspected Corsican separatists were responsible.

Police said it could be retaliation for the arrest and transfer to Paris on Monday of two suspected militant nationalists.

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Corsica's local assembly later this week is due to examine the text of a ground-breaking accord between French authorities and local political groups believed to be front organisations for clandestine separatist guerrilla movements.

The accord calls for a devolution of some powers held by authorities in Paris to Corsica's elected assembly in a bid to end the separatist violence which has wracked the island for 20 years.

However, separatist groups accuse French magistrates of continuing their investigations and ordering arrests as though no accord was pending.

The separatists are also campaigning to include in the accord moves which would pave the way for amnesties for separatists imprisoned for past bomb attacks. Paris has so far rejected such provisions.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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