Swiss police probing small blast at Davos hotel

DAVOS, Switzerland (MarketWatch) — Police are probing a small blast that broke a window at a hotel near the complex hosting the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting, the organization said Thursday.

In a written statement, a World Economic Forum spokesperson said a “small firework” went off at the back entrance of the Morosani Posthotel, damaging one window.

The police are investigating the incident and the hotel remains fully operational and accessible, the World Economic Forum said.

Security is extremely tight at the event, which attracts world leaders and chief executives of the world’s largest companies. It runs through Jan. 30

Group takes responsibility for blast

Spotting corporate espionage

From the top of the Gherkin building in London, Crispin Sturrock points out an anonymous-looking office block in the swirling snow below. “There’s a device in there,” says the chief executive of White Rock Defence Systems, an information security consultancy that helps companies protect themselves against spies. “They’re not clients of ours, but whenever we scan for transmissions in nearby buildings, we pick it up. It’s been there for ages, just streaming information out.” The building in question is bugged with an electronic device transmitting information about one of its tenants. In the era of WikiLeaks, it is tempting to view all leaks as news headlines. But in general, corporate leaks tend to be of interest only to a very small group of people – an organisation’s competitors or potential buyer. “The reasons people engage in competitive information gathering are usually financial gain and leverage,” says Mr Sturrock.

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