Bomb explodes in Rome

ROME, Italy -- A powerful bomb has exploded in Rome, damaging a building housing a two political studies organisations.

The bomb went off about 4:45 a.m. (0245 GMT) in the entrance of a building close to the capital's central Piazza del Popolo.

No-one immediately claimed responsibility for the blast, which occurred about one month before Italy holds national elections on May 13.

Colonel Vittorio Tomasone, an official of the Carabinieri paramilitary police, said the bomb was "home-made but in a very intricate way." He did not elaborate.

There were no injuries, Italian radio reported.

The main door of the building was blown off by the bomb, which was hurled past an iron gate into the entrance.

The building houses the Institute for International Affairs and the Association for Relations Between Italy and the United States.

Last December, a bomb exploded in the Rome offices of a communist newspaper, prompting the Italian government to warn of a possible wave of politically motivated terrorist attacks.

That bomb, which went off in the entrance lobby of Il Manifesto, injured a extreme right-wing activist who was carrying the device.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Institute of International Affairs
U.S. Mission to Italy

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