A bomb hidden inside a suitcase tore through a restaurant in Colombia's capital late today, wounding 30 people hours after a top senator was injured when he opened a book bomb in attacks the president blamed on leftist rebels trained by European guerrilla groups.
Authorities said the first bomb went off in a hotel restaurant on the 30th floor of a building complex in downtown Bogota. The explosion, which sent shards of glass to the streets, wounded 30 people who were attending at a Christmas party, police said.
In a separate attack, Senator Vargas Lleras, a prominent supporter of President Alvaro Uribe, was wounded when he opened a book bomb sent to his congressional office wrapped as a Christmas present, police said.
Mr Vargas Lleras was rushed to a hospital with wounds on his right arm and hand. His condition was not life-threatening.
Mr Uribe, who took office in August on pledges to get tough with illegal armed groups fighting in a 38-year-old war, blamed the "terrorist attacks" on rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - known as "FARC".
"The reports we have indicate that the FARC group is in contact with international terrorist organizations. Some reports say the IRA, other reports say ETA and they are carrying out these attacks against citizens in our country," a grim-faced Mr Uribe told reporters.
Television images showed victims, some covered in blood, being evacuated from the Tequendama building, a tall complex which houses stores, restaurants and a hotel. The bomb shattered windows and rained nearby streets with glass. Police cordoned off the area.
The attacks came two days after authorities said they had thwarted FARC plans to explode in Bogota five powerful car bombs capable of destroying entire city blocks.