Australian held over suspicious packages to embassies

A 49-year-old man has appeared at Melbourne Magistrates' Court over suspicious packages sent to consulates embassies in Canberra, Melbourne, and Sydney.

Savas Avan was remanded in custody and will appear again in court on March 4.

Emergency crews were called to several consulates on Wednesday after being alerted by staff. Some packages were reported to be labelled asbestos.

The contents of the parcels are still being identified. There were no reports of harm to staff.

The man arrested sent 38 parcels, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) allege.

There was no ongoing threat to the public, authorities said.

In a statement, the AFP said: "The man was arrested at his home last night and was charged with sending dangerous articles to be carried by postal service, contrary to section 471 of the Criminal Code Act 1995."

The offence, if proven carries a maximum 10-year jail term.

Emergency workers had been seen at consulates belonging to the UK, US, Switzerland, Pakistan, India, Greece, South Korea, New Zealand, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and France, Australian media reported.

The packages were believed to contain an unidentified substance sourced from the man's home at Shepparton, about 200km (125 miles) north of Melbourne, police said.

"Forensic testing is to be undertaken on them to determine the exact composition of the material in them," the AFP said in a statement on Thursday.

Police have so far recovered 29 of the packages and identified "all intended recipients". They said there was no "ongoing threat to the general public" from the remaining nine.

The Australian government had issued a warning to foreign missions on Tuesday about suspicious mail items, after an earlier discovery of three packages.

"The note advised missions to handle mail in accordance with their own government's protocols and instructions," Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement.

The man arrested is due to face a court in Melbourne on Thursday.

A number of buildings were temporarily evacuated in Melbourne.