Closure calls after Palestinian embassy blast

Call for removal of compound after illegal weapons discovery and death of ambassador in booby trap blast.

The Foreign Ministry said it had demanded an explanation from the Palestinians [Getty]

The Czech government is under pressure to close the Palestinian embassy complex in Prague after the discovery of illegal weapons and the death of the Palestinian ambassador in a booby-trap explosion.

Petr Hejl, the mayor of Suchdol neighbourhood, said on Friday he has sent a request to Czech Republic’s Foreign Ministry of to remove the embassy from the area.

“We have lost trust in the diplomats,” Hejl told AP news agency after receiving complaints from neighbours. “We feel deceived by them.”

The Foreign Ministry said it had demanded an explanation from the Palestinians.

The weapons cache was found on Thursday. Andrea Zoulova, a police spokeswoman, said on Friday it was not yet clear why the Palestinians had the weapons.

The weapons were found during a search of the complex, a day after ambassador Jamal al-Jamal, 56, died as he opened an old safe which was rigged with a bomb.

Palestinian officials have said the safe had been inside the offices of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation when it had a presence in Prague more than 20 years ago.

Source: AP