Special forces end consulate siege

Swiss special forces stormed the Spanish consulate in the capital, Berne, today to end a siege nearly seven hours after three assailants broke into the building.

The special police unit went into the consulate around 2.30pm (1.30pm Irish time), but it was not immediately clear they had captured the suspects, said Juerg Mosimann, a spokesman for Berne police. No shots were fired, he said.

The three masked assailants, believed to be armed with knives and a handgun, had seized the consulate in the Swiss capital shortly before 8am (7am Irish time), taking three people hostage.

One hostage, a security guard, was injured but managed to escape, Mosimann said. He was admitted to hospital with injuries.

Two other hostages were later released, and Spanish authorities said there were no more staff inside.

Police sealed off Bern’s exclusive Kirchenfeld district, where the Spanish consulate and many other foreign diplomatic missions are located, police spokeswoman Franziska Frey said.

In Madrid, Spain’s foreign minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, called it an attempted robbery.

“Apparently, judging from the information we have received, from the outset the three assailants wanted to get at the safe,” said spokesman Angel Vazquez .

“This makes one think their goal was money, but this is just speculation,” he said. “It will take some time for us to establish with certainty the exact nature of this act.”