A suspicious package found in the post at Chancellor Angela Merkel's office in Berlin today contained explosives, it was confirmed this evening.
Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere told a news conference that the package was sent from Greece two days ago. The package, addressed to Ms Merkel personally, was rendered safe by security experts.
"We don't yet have final results on how dangerous the explosive was and what it was made of," he said. "However, there's quite a lot to suggest that if it's the same as the parcel bombs from Athens it could have caused a not inconsiderable amount of damage," he added.
Ms Merkel was on a visit to Belgium at the time.
Police have tightened security measures outside the office.
Meanwhile, Greek police are investigating a spate of bomb attacks on foreign embassies in the capital Athens.
A parcel bomb exploded at the Swiss embassy in Athens earlier today and police found a suspect package at Bulgaria's embassy. A suspicious package has also been located at the Chilean embassy.
The incidents come a day after a booby-trapped parcel exploded in the Greek capital and three others were intercepted.
"A small bomb exploded at the Swiss embassy in Athens, there was no warning call," said a police official who declined to be named. "We have no reports of injuries."
Yesterday a parcel bomb exploded at the courier office in Athens, slightly wounding an employee.
Greek police then arrested two suspects carrying two more bombs, addressed to French president Nicolas Sarkozy and the Belgian embassy.
Police yesterday also intercepted a third bomb found at another delivery company and destined to the Dutch embassy.
Police suspect the latest parcel bomb attacks were linked to Greek leftist guerrillas. Small bomb and gas canister attacks have been frequent in Greece since 2008, when the police killing of a teenager sparked the country's worst riots in decades.