Russian man charged with explosives possession after ATM bombing in Billund

A 37-year-old Russian man has been charged with the possession and transport of approximately 3,000 grams of explosive material containing TATP, a highly unstable substance also known as “Mother of Satan.” The charges stem from an incident in April when he submitted an object to the police at Billund Airport. Early that morning, he used explosives to detonate an ATM near Legoland in Billund, while later that day, he brought at least one kilogram of explosives into the airport. Authorities stated that the reported weight includes packaging.

The potential danger of the explosives was underscored by Peter Hald, a security leader at the Chemical Institute at Aarhus University. He noted that a traditional hand grenade contains between 50 to 150 grams of explosive material, suggesting that with several kilograms, the man could have created significant destruction, such as breaching a sturdy wall or creating a large crater.

Since his arrest, the man has been held in custody, with proceedings conducted behind closed doors, keeping details of his charges confidential until recently. The police decided to publicly disclose the charges, emphasizing the seriousness of the case.

In addition to the explosives charges, the man is also facing accusations of violating weapon regulations by possessing a gas spray and a flashlight with a stun gun feature, as well as committing a burglary. The accused partially admits to the charges, but his lawyer has withheld specifics on which charges he accepts or disputes. Further comments from both the defense attorney and the police remain unavailable.