Officials: A man killed himself with a bomb outside Brazil's Supreme Court after trying to enter the building

Federal District Vice Governor Selina Leao said she hoped it was a "lone wolf" crime, but could not be sure, Reuters reports.

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Police in front of the Supreme Court in Brazil, Photo: Reuters
Police in front of the Supreme Court in Brazil, Photo: Reuters
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.

A man killed himself with a bomb outside Brazil's Supreme Court after trying to enter the building, officials said, raising security concerns as the country is set to host G20 global leaders.

The explosions occurred five days before the meeting of the G20 heads of state in Rio de Janeiro, after which Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit the Brazilian capital.

Brazil, Brazil
photo: Reuters

The first of the two explosions went off on Wednesday evening in the parking lot near the courthouse, and the second explosion a few seconds later in front of the courthouse, where the man's body was found.

Federal District Vice Governor Selina Leao said preliminary information indicated that the man killed himself with explosives after trying to enter the Supreme Court.

Brazil, Brazil
photo: Reuters

She pointed out that he owned a car in which the second explosion blew out the trunk.

Leao said she hoped it was a "lone wolf" crime, but could not be sure, Reuters reports.

Police said they did not make a final identification of the dead man because they faced the risk of additional explosives on the body.

Brazil, Brazil
photo: Reuters

The explosions occurred around the Plaza de Trio, an iconic square in Brasilia that connects the main buildings of the three branches of Brazil's federal government.

It was the scene of riots on January 8, 2023, when supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro looted buildings protesting his election defeat, Reuters reminds.

Police sent a bomb squad with an explosives disposal robot to a square in the heart of the Brazilian capital to investigate the blasts.

Supreme Court judges had just finished a plenary session when the explosions occurred and were quickly evacuated, the court said.

President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva left the executive palace shortly before the explosions.

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