Two small bombs explode in Bogota

Two small bombs exploded in Bogota, Colombia's capital, on Thursday afternoon, according to the defense minister, who said he would deploy greater numbers of military and police onto the streets in response.

Defense Minister Luis Carlos Villegas did not blame any group for the explosions, neither of which caused serious injuries. They come at a time of renewed security concerns in Colombia after several high-profile attacks on infrastructure by FARC rebels.

President Manuel Santos's office said he was returning early from a trade conference in Peru to oversee the investigation.

The first blast occurred in offices of the Porvenir fund in the financial district of Bogota and seven people were injured there, city Health Secretary Mauricio Bustamante said. The eighth victim was wounded by a blast at a Porvenir branch in the Puente Aranda area in the west of the city.

Gen. Humberto Guatibonza, commander of the Bogota Metropolitan Police, said investigators were interviewing witnesses and reviewing footage from security cameras in the areas around the two explosions.

Defense Secretary Luis Carlos Villegas said the explosions were meant to intimidate people.

Though there was no confirmation of who was responsible, speculation quickly turned to the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. Colombia's criminal gangs are known to detonate small explosives as a way to intimidate extortion targets.

The FARC has been in peace talks with the government, hosted by Cuba, for two and a half years. In May, the group suspended a unilateral cease-fire after government troops killed 26 of its fighters.

A FARC commander, Matias Aldecoa, in Cuba to participate in the peace negotiations, said in a press interview this week that the group planned to switch from attacking infrastructure to targeting members of the police and armed forces. In a video message on Thursday, he said his comments were misinterpreted.

Wire services