PARIS—A female employee of the International Monetary Fund suffered injuries to her face and arms on Thursday when a letter bomb addressed to the world lender’s European representative blew up as she opened it, police said.
The letter, which had arrived by mail, exploded as it was opened by a secretary at the institution’s office in an upscale part of Paris.
The secretary, whose hearing was also affected, was receiving treatment but her injuries were not life-threatening, Paris police chief Michel Cadot told reporters. The blast caused little damage to the office.
The letter was intended for the IMF’s European representative, according to police. Jeffrey Franks, a 24-year veteran of the fund, has been director of the IMF’s Europe office since March 2015, according to its website.
Paris anti-terrorism prosecutors opened an investigation.
The explosion was caused by a device that was fairly home-made, “like a big fire cracker,” Cadot said.
