Extortion, not terrorism behind Potsdam explosive package

A suspicious package with wires and nails that was delivered to an address near a Christmas market in the German city of Potsdam on Friday was "an act of extortion" rather than "terrorism," according to Reuters, citing local authorities. The package had been used as an attempt to extort money from the DHL company, which delivered it, the interior minister of the state of Brandenburg, Karl-Heinz Schroeter, told a news conference Sunday. A barcode inside the package contained the extortion letter, Brandenburg police chief Hans-Juergen Moerke said, with the senders having threatened to dispatch more dangerous packages if DHL refused to pay them. Police are now searching for those who sent it, adding that it was highly likely that the package could have exploded. The logistics company has warned its clients not to open packages originating from unknown or suspicious addresses.