Small bomb outside British embassy in Chile

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - A small bomb exploded outside the British embassy in the Chilean capital Santiago on Sunday night, causing minor damage to the building but no casualties, police said on Monday.

Senior police officer Jorge Rojas described the device as "a cylinder filled with powder and with a detonator on a timer."

"There was damage to the windows but no injuries," he told reporters, adding that police were trying to ascertain the target of the attack. The embassy building also houses the offices of the Chilean subsidiary of international cigarette firm British American Tobacco.

The explosion took place at around 10:15 p.m. (0215 GMT) in the upmarket Las Condes area of Santiago, considered one of the safest capitals in Latin America.

Around 50,000 British tourists visit Chile each year, according to Britain's Foreign Office Web site and the country tells its citizens the threat from terrorism in Chile is low.

(Additional reporting by Kate Kelland in London)