The Internal Security Service (ISS) found various explosives-related items from an apartment building located on Õismäe street in Tallinn and one person has been detained in connection with the incident.
ISS finds various explosives-related items in Õismäe apartment
12th September 2019, 10:55
ISS at around 9 a.m. on Wednesday concluded procedural acts in an apartment building located on Õismäe street and residents who were evacuated from the building on Tuesday can return to their homes, spokespeople for the ISS and the North District Prosecutor’s Office said.
The incident concerns the illegal handling of explosives and to ensure people’s safety, residents were evacuated from one of the stairways of the apartment building.
Various explosives-related items were found in the apartment. Tõnu Miilvee, head of office at ISS, said that the dangerous items have been removed from the apartment building to a secure location. “Unfortunately, explosives-related investigations need extreme care, which can sometimes mean long hours of work and some discomfort for people,” Miilvee said. “I believe that overall, it went well for the people on Õismäe street, that a great threat has been eliminated and this time, the price of this is a night spent away from home,” he added.
Criminal proceedings have been launched regarding the incident for the investigation of illegal handling of explosives. A man living in the same apartment building has been detained and the potential connection of other people to the crime is being checked.
Eneli Laurits, the prosecutor leading the proceedings, said that the handling of explosives in a large apartment building is extremely dangerous and the prosecutor’s office takes such crimes very seriously. “With his behavior, the suspect potentially endangered the life and health of all of the building’s residents. Many facts remain to be clarified in the course of criminal proceedings, but the evidence gathered at the moment certainly warrants a request from the prosecutor’s office to take the suspect into custody for the duration of the investigation,” Laurits said.
The Haabersti city district government guaranteed accommodation for all those not allowed back in their homes for the night. The Pirita city district government also provided help with housing the residents of the building.