Winnipeg mail bomb targets were 3 women

Winnipeg police allege Guido Amsel targeted three women his divorce lawyer, his ex-wife, and her lawyer with mail bombs as an act of revenge following a lengthy divorce battle.

The 49-year-old has been charged with two counts of attempted murder and one count of aggravated assault after three bombs were discovered in recent days.

• Suspected bomberwent through lengthy divorce battle

In court documents police describe the bombs, which were contained in small voice recorders, as being "sophisticated."

Lawyer Maria Mitousis, 38, was seriously injured when a bomb went off at her River Avenue office on Friday. She used to represent Amsel's ex-wife, Iris Amsel,in divorce proceedings that began in 2004.

A package intended for the ex-wife was intercepted by police and detonated Saturday at a business on Washington Avenue. No one was injured.

CBC News has also learned athird woman, a Winnipeg lawyer who once represented Amsel and used to work forOrleBargenand Davidson on StradbrookAvenue,was also targeted.

• Accused Winnipeg law firm bomber's court files detail lengthy divorce battle

The bomb unit detonated an explosivedevice at thatfirm's office Sundayand no one was injured.

Police are urging anyone who had dealings with Amsel in the past to be on alert forsuspicious packages.

Emergency crews busy

Mayor Brian Bowman and police ChiefDevonClunisdescribed the past few days in Winnipeg as "harrowing" and "unnerving."

Update on bombing arrest

9 years ago

Duration 20:27

Mayor Brian Bowman and police Chief Devon Clunis brief on the arrest made in the recent bomb incident

"The events that started on Friday are harrowing," Bowman said at a press conference. "The impact of these acts is far-reaching in our community andwe're thinking of all."

Both he andClunisoffered thoughts and prayers to Mitousis.

• Lawyer MariaMitousis, 38, injured by bomb in law office

"The last few days havebeendifficult for our city, particularly so for Mrs.MariaMitousis, her lovedones, colleagues and friends,"Clunissaid.

"We also want to thank thepeople of Winnipegfor theirsupport throughout thisincredible ordeal.We know how difficult it is tosee a downtown office buildingevacuated [and]we know sometimes it isincredibly unnerving to seeyour neighbours asked to leavetheir homes."

Acting deputy policechiefDannySmyth said Mitousis's condition has stabilized andshe has been able to speak withinvestigators.

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Over the weekend, police blocked off streets and searched homes and businesses in various parts of the city.

That continued Monday with a downtown Canada Post building surrounded, evacuatedand the bomb unit brought in.Not long after, city hall was evacuated due to a suspicious package.

Both cases were deemed to be false alarms, but they reflect the heightened sensitivity in the city.Smythhas saidother packages may have been sent to other law firms or justice officials who had dealings with Amsel.

"Clearly, we don'tknow how many packages may havebeen sent out," he said. "We don't think this is a blanketed threat to the general public or to the justice system in general."

TIMELINE

• Friday, July 3

Investigation begins after Maria Mitousis injured by blast at Peterson King law firm around10:15 a.m. CT.

Three floors of a downtown office building at444 St. Mary evacuated around 12:30 p.m. CT. The building contains three law firms, among other businesses. One of the law firms,Monk Goodwin, is where Mitousisformerly worked. Building searched andcleared by police bomb unit with theassistance of RCMP. No suspicious itemsor packages found.

• Saturday, July 4

Police called toa businessinthe 500 block of Washington Avenue at about 2 p.m. CT. A suspicious package was addressed to Amsel's ex-wife, who owns the business.

At about 10:30 p.m., the bomb unit used awater cannon to attempt to defuse it but the device went off,causing damage to the business. Nobody was injured.

Amsel was arrested at his home on Pandora Avenue East in the evening.

• Sunday, July 5

Searches conducted in the afternoon byinvestigators andbomb unit personnel at an automotivebusiness on SpringfieldRoad, owned by Amsel, as well as the suspect's home.

While investigators weredealing with thosesearches, police were alerted to another suspiciouspackage at OrleBargenand Davidsonlaw firm on Stradbrook.Bomb unit personnel weresent there and located anexplosive device sent throughthe mail.

The device was removedfrom the office and detonatedoutside of the building at about9:45 p.m. CT. There were no injuries.

Police said lawyers whoformerly worked at that firmhad represented Amsel in past legal proceedings.