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Bombs Explode At Two Churches In New Mexico

Two explosive devices sparked evacuations after they detonated outside two churches in New Mexico, police have revealed.

Calvary Baptist and Holy Cross Roman Catholic churches in Las Cruces both suffered minor damage after the blasts on Sunday.

But New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez said the culprit behind the attacks had failed to cause fear among worshippers.

"Only a coward would place an explosive device in a place of peace and a place of worship," she said.

"Whoever did this will feel full pressure of the law."

Agents from the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and New Mexico State Police officers are involved in the investigation into the devices.

No one was injured in the blasts.

The first explosion took place in a mailbox near one entrance to Calvary Baptist.

The second device was placed in a bin outside Holy Cross Roman Catholic church as Monsignor John Anderson was helping pass Communion.

He told the Las Cruces Sun-News: "I was right in the middle of saying the words 'take and eat, this is my body' and there was a pow!

"I didn't know if it was a shotgun blast, I didn't know what. But it was very loud, and I just kept on saying the words."

Police evacuated Holy Cross church and cordoned off surrounding streets and sniffer dogs were brought in to search the building.

The two churches are less than four miles apart.

Danny Trujillo, a spokesman for New Mexico police, said other churches had contacted authorities for advice.