Five injured by post box pipe bombs

At least five people were injured when bombs accompanied by anti-government propaganda exploded in rural post boxes in the US.

Authorities called it a case of domestic terrorism.

A note found with the bombs in Illinois and Iowa said ‘‘more ’attention getters’ are on the way’’. It was signed: ‘‘Someone Who Cares’’. Authorities did not immediately name any suspects.

Eight devices were found and five detonated yesterday. Postal Service Inspector Linda Jensen said consistencies in the placement of the devices suggested the bombings were linked, but that does not mean just one person was involved.

‘‘We are reviewing this as a domestic terrorism incident,’’ said James Bogner, an FBI spokesman.

‘We don’t know if all the devices have been found or there are devices remaining ... We probably

won’t know for a while.’’

Ms Jensen said bombs were found at Morrison, Mount Carroll and Elizabeth in Illinois, and at Asbury, Farley, Tipton, Anamosa and rural Scott County in Iowa.

The communities form a rough triangle straddling the Mississippi River. None of the post boxes are more than about 70 miles apart.

None of the injuries were considered life threatening.

Postal Service vice president Azeezaly Jaffer said the bombs were accompanied by a note that began: ‘‘Mailboxes are exploding! Why, you ask?’’

Then it said, in part: ‘‘If the government controls what you want to do they control what you can do. ... I’m obtaining your attention in the only way I can. More info is on its way. More ‘attention getters’ are on the way.’’

The letter also said: ‘‘If I could, I would change only one person, unfortunately the resources are not accessible. It seems killing a single famous person would get the same media attention as killing numerous un-famous humans.’’

The bombs appeared to be triggered by being touched or moved and were attached to batteries, Mr Jaffer said. He said the bombs were not sent through the mail but had been placed in the post boxes.

In Sageville witnesses said a bomb went off when a postal worker opened a post box from the passenger side of a vehicle, leaving a small hole in the door and injuring the worker’s arm.

Donna Millwright, a postal worker in Dubuque County for 22 years, stopped when she heard news of the explosion.

‘‘I don’t want to get blown up,’’ Ms Millwright said. ‘‘I’ve seen plenty of things in mailboxes, but never a bomb.’’