The headquarters of Spain’s conservative party was targeted in a car attack today, Friday.
Behind the attack was a bankrupt businessman who rammed a car packed with two gas cylinders into the head office of the governing People’s Party (PP) in central Madrid.
The canisters did not explode and there were no injuries, a police spokeswoman said.
The man, who was arrested, "was a business owner, who had lost everything", she added.
Police originally thought the car had an explosive device but later ruled that out.
However, another police spokeswoman said they had found an unidentified substance which needed to be analysed. She would not confirm whether or not there was industrial fertiliser in the car.
The police cordon caused traffic congestion and service on several metro lines was suspended.
The party's parliamentary spokesman Rafael Hernando expressed concern that someone would "attack a political party – mine or any other".