Police find bomb at IKEA store in Prague

Czech police defused an explosive package at an IKEA furniture store in Prague on Friday, in the latest in a series of attempted attacks on the Swedish group's outlets around Europe.

Police said in a statement it had closed all four IKEA stores in the central European country for security checks.

"Given the international situation in recent years, we have informed partners abroad about the preventative measures," the police statement said.

Police did not give any details on who may be behind the attempted attack at the world's biggest furniture retailer nor how was the explosive device found.

The Czech news website reported the that package was found by cleaning staff in a waste bin outside the store.

It said it expected the stores of the Swedish firm, known worldwide for its flat-packed, self-assembly furniture, to reopen later on Friday.

Small explosive devices detonated at IKEA stores in the Netherlands, Belgium and France in May this year. No one was seriously hurt in those attacks.

Two Polish men were jailed in 2004 for planting bombs at two Dutch IKEA stores in 2002 and trying to extort 250,000 euros ($360,000) from the furniture chain.

In 2009, there was a threat to blow up several Amsterdam stores, including an IKEA outlet, and seven people were arrested but it turned out to be a hoax. The company is owned by a foundation controlled by Swedish founder Ingvar Kamprad.