Ecuadorian USB bomb attacks

The Ecuadorian USB bomb attacks occurred in March 2023 when boobytrapped USB drives were sent to Ecuadorian media.^[1][2][3] One journalist was injured.^[1][2]

Lenin Artieda suffered minor injuries when he plugged in a USB drive he had received at Ecuavisa in Guayaquil.^[1][2] Police carried out a controlled explosion on a similar device sent to TC Televisión, also in Guayaquil.^[1][2] Freedom of expression group Fundamedios said that a third media group had been attacked.^[1][2] Teleamazonas said that one of their journalists had received an anonymous envelope with a device inside that police confirmed contained explosives.

Other devices sent via post either never exploded or were never opened.^[1][2]

Two of the devices were found at media outlets in Guayaquil, two in Quito and one at a package delivery company.^[3]

Reactions

The department of the attorney general of Ecuador confirmed that it had opened a terrorism investigation on 20 March 2023.^[1][2]

According to interior minister Juan Zapata the letters were all sent from the same town, with three going to Guayaquil and two to Quito.^[1][2]

The head of the forensic sciences services said the devices contained "military-type" explosives.^[1][2]