VZCZCXRO6173
OO RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH
DE RUEHBI #1292/01 1930752
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 120752Z JUL 06
FM AMCONSUL MUMBAI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4021
INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI IMMEDIATE 5313
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI IMMEDIATE 8785
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI IMMEDIATE 1134
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA IMMEDIATE 1042
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD IMMEDIATE 0596
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE IMMEDIATE 0088
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI IMMEDIATE 0203
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU IMMEDIATE 0492
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO IMMEDIATE 0607
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA IMMEDIATE 0588

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MUMBAI 001292 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SCA/INS, OPS CENTER, DS, DS/IP/ITA, DS/IP/SCA, DS/DSCC, 
CA/OCS/ACS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER KISL AEMR PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: MULTIPLE TRAIN BOMBINGS KILL OVER 180 AT HEIGHT OF EVENING 
RUSH HOUR IN MUMBAI 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (U) Over 180 persons died and over 500 were injured in a 
series of nearly simultaneous bomb explosions on seven trains on 
July 11 in Mumbai.  The bombings occurred in overflowing trains 
at the height of the city's evening rush hour. All official 
Americans and their family members are accounted for. Several 
Consulate Foreign Service Nationals (FSNs) were aboard the 
bombed trains, but none suffered serious injuries.  No group has 
taken credit for the bombings, and the police have yet to 
announce any suspects, but the timing and execution of the 
bombings point towards a professional, organized group.  The 
media and eyewitnesses at the scenes roundly criticized the 
official emergency response.  Initially, hospitals were 
struggling to deal with the inflow of injured, but were 
reportedly mastering the situation as of mid-day local time 
(2:30am EDT) on July 12. Life quickly returned to normal in the 
city, India's commercial and financial capital, on July 12.  End 
summary. 
 
Seven Trains Bombed 
------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) On July 11 bombs went off within minutes of each other on 
seven separate trains during the height of the evening rush hour 
on Mumbai's Western Railway Line.  The rush hour blasts occurred 
from 1824 to 1835 hours local time.  Apparently, all of the 
bombs were planted inside the train cars and detonated as the 
trains were at or near these railway stations: Khar, Mahim, 
Matunga, Jogeshwari, Borivili, Bhayande, and Santa Cruz. 
Initial reports of an eighth defused bomb found in Borivili 
station seem to be false.  Investigation into explosive type and 
delivery system are still underway. 
 
¶3. (U) Mumbai's three suburban railway lines are the most 
densely traveled in the world, transporting over 6 million 
passengers each day.  Trains are 9-12 coaches long.  Although 
each coach is designed to accommodate around 100 sitting 
passengers, the actual number can easily double or triple during 
rush hour.  The bombings created an initial wave of panic among 
the passengers.  Many sustained injuries when attempting to exit 
from moving trains, according to Consulate eyewitness accounts 
and media reports. 
 
¶4.  (U) The Consulate's Emergency Action Committee convened at 
2030 local time on July 11.  Later than evening the Consulate 
issued a warden message. 
 
Casualties 
---------- 
 
¶5. (U) As of noon local time on July 12 (2:30am EDT) police and 
hospital sources estimate that 183 people died and over 663 were 
injured in the attacks.  The number of casualties is expected to 
grow in the coming hours.  While several Consulate FSNs were 
aboard the bombed trains, no Consulate personnel were killed or 
suffered serious physical injury (Note: Post is requesting 
assistance from the regional psychiatrist to deal with potential 
mental and emotional issues.  End note.)  We have no information 
on any American casualties, but are in contact with local 
hospitals and otherwise investigating this possibility. 
 
Suspects 
-------- 
 
¶6. (U) While this was clearly a terrorist attack, no group has 
claimed responsibility so far.  Indian intelligence reportedly 
considers Lakshar-e-Toiba (LeT) a prime suspect.  The group has 
publicly denied this allegation.  There have been no formal 
accusations, however, and police are investigating multiple 
possibilities at this time, according to reports. 
 
Police and Emergency Response Efforts 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (U) Police and emergency response was inadequate, according 
to news reports, other Consulate contacts and Consulate FSNs on 
the scene.  Live coverage showed ordinary citizens still pulling 
victims out of trains and carrying the injured away on 
 
MUMBAI 00001292  002 OF 002 
 
 
bed-sheets or by hand hours after the explosions occurred. 
These citizens also took many of the injured to nearby 
hospitals.  Commentators and ordinary citizens voiced anger at 
the absence of a rapid official response.  One fire brigade 
chief told the media that his station only received a call for 
assistance at 7:15 pm, long after the explosions had taken 
place.  Eventually, police did set up city wide road blocks 
along major arterial roads in an attempt to catch any suspects. 
Security was tightened at all major railway stations, temples, 
and major monuments in and around Mumbai.  The international 
airport was put on high alert, but remained open. 
 
¶8. (U) Police publicly stated that they had no indication these 
attacks would occur and were not on alert.  However, an officer 
in the city's Anti-Terrorism Squad said police had received 
numerous telephone calls regarding possible railway bombings 
beginning in March, and suspected the calls were being used to 
gauge police response times. 
 
¶9. (U) The injured are being treated at Lilavati, Cooper, 
Hinduja, KEM, Bhabha and Nanavati hospitals, all of which are 
located in the immediate and outer northern suburbs of the city. 
 The explosions took place several miles away from south Mumbai 
hospitals used by the Consulate, and we have no reports on the 
extent to which these facilities were involved in the emergency 
response.  Hospitals treating the victims reportedly were 
overwhelmed initially but are managing effectively at present. 
They report adequate supplies of blood.  Post is attempting to 
acquire patient admissions rosters and is in communication with 
other consulates regarding the existence of foreign casualties. 
 
¶10. (U) At around 1900 Tuesday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh 
held an emergency cabinet meeting. Thereafter Home Minister 
Patel, Railways Minister Yadav, and Congress Party President 
Sonia Sonia Gandhi were to travel to Mumbai to help supervise 
investigative, relief and recovery efforts. 
 
Life Quickly Returns to Normal 
------------------------------ 
 
¶11. (U) The bombings halted all train service in and around 
Mumbai for several hours.  However, as of mid-day on July 12 all 
western line trains were running with short delays. No delays 
were reported on the city's other two north-south trunk lines 
that bring millions of commuters into the city center in the 
southern tip of the peninsula each day.  Our contacts tell us 
that otherwise travel is normal and that the trains are even 
full of school children. Additional buses have been deployed as 
well. Schools and colleges are open, so are shops and 
businesses, with the exception of the city's diamond markets. 
 
¶12. (U) Cell phone and land line service was disrupted until 
late on July 11, but has since returned to normal.  Post 
personnel communicated by radio during the down time.  The 
city's stock markets largely ignored the bombings, which had no 
impact on either volumes or prices.  Offices in the city's large 
financial district are reportedly fully staffed. 
 
¶13. (U) There have not yet been any reports of tension between 
Muslim and non-Muslim groups as life quickly returned to normal 
in the city.  Several of the bombings took place in 
predominantly Muslim neighborhoods.  The media reported that 
large groups of Muslim residents immediately came to the help of 
the victims of the bombings. 
OWEN