UN says staffer questioned in blast oustide British consulate

UNITED NATIONS - The United Nations said one of its staff was being questioned by New York police in connection with a blast outside the British consulate earlier on Thursday.
A UN spokesman said the unnamed employee was a "person of interest" in the initial investigation into the overnight explosion of two small grenades, which damaged the New York office building housing the consulate.
New York police threw up a security alert around the building after the blast at 3:35 am (0735 GMT) but they said there was no immediate sign of a link to Thursday's general election in Britain.
The explosion was caused by "novelty-type grenades filled with black powder and then detonated," city police chief Ray Kelly told reporters. "No timing device appears to have been employed."
Security was also heightened at UN facilities in New York and bomb-sniffing dog teams were called into action, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

05/05/2005 18:00 GMT