Man admits planting 'bomb' in Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens

Nikolaos Karvounakis claimed to be a member of the International Terrorist Mafia

A former Greek serviceman has admitted leaving a potentially explosive device in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh.

Nikolaos Karvounakis, 35, claimed to be a member of the International Terrorist Mafia - a Mexican eco-terror group - after planting the homemade "bomb", which was found on 11 January 2018.

He pleaded guilty earlier to being in possession of items for a terrorist purpose at the High court in Edinburgh.

He was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing next month.

About a month after the device was found Karvounakis contacted a newspaper journalist sending a photo of it and described himself as a "lover of nihilist anti-political violence".

Advocate depute Angela Gray told the court: "The device was later established to contain the component parts of a potentially viable device.

Finding the device prompted a major operation by the emergency services

"Had it detonated, it would have the potential to cause significant injury to persons and damage to property in close proximity as a result of the metal pipe or metal nails that were within it being propelled outwards from the explosion."

A total of 58 nails, some of which had been cut in half, were found inside the item.

The prosecutor said the find prompted a major operation by the emergency services, and armed forces ordnance disposal experts were called in. A controlled detonation was carried out.

Police discovered he had bought the parts used in the construction of the device from DIY stores and over the internet. Explosives experts found he had followed an instructional video to build it.

Karvounakis maintained that while a fuse was inserted into a modified bulb to give the appearance of an improvised igniter the fuse was not actually connected to the filament.

But scientists who examined the equipment said there remained a risk it could still prove viable due to the potential introduction of a hot filament wire close to a low explosive substance.

Police were called to the city centre of Edinburgh on 11 January 2018

Karvounakis was arrested on 15 June 2021 by counter terrorism firearms officers at North Bridge, in Edinburgh, in connection with a terrorism offence.

The court heard his DNA was found on adhesive tape in the device.

Karvounakis admitted possessing the device containing explosive material in circumstances giving rise to reasonable suspicion that he had it "for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism".

Karvounakis was born in Crete and completed his national service in the Greek Army before moving to Scotland in 2013. He was living in Edinburgh and working as a cleaner before he was arrested.

Defence counsel John Scullion said: "The accused's position is he intended to cause disruption but not physical harm and when the device was left in the gardens it was not set to detonate."

"The accused wrote a message inside the box which was intended to be read and was intended to cause alarm when the box was opened," he said.

Mr Scullion said he wished to apologise for his actions and had prepared a letter of apology for the court.