VZCZCXYZ0011
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSW #0880 2540556
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 110556Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY BERN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4459

UNCLAS BERN 000880 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE, SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/AGS, INR/EU, AND S/CT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOVPTER PHUM SZ
SUBJECT:  PROBABLE RIGHT-WING BOMB ATTACKS AGAINST THREE SWISS 
CANTONAL OFFICIALS - WARNING SHOT? 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. (SBU) In the early morning hours of September 4, three small 
bombs exploded outside the homes of three prominent politicians in 
central Switzerland.  The blasts caused limited damage and nobody 
was harmed in any of these incidents.  A link to international 
terrorist groups can be virtually ruled out; police suspect 
right-wing extremists planted the bombs and the three politicians 
were targeted for their prominent role in the organization of the 
National Day Celebrations on the mythical Rutli meadow.  On August 
1, security forces had foiled an attempt by right-wing extremists to 
reach the closed-off Rutli, canceling their plans to disrupt the 
National Day Address of Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey. 
Federal Police have opened an investigation of the explosions. End 
Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) On September 4 at 5:00 a.m., a small bomb detonated in the 
mailbox outside the private home of Josef Dittli, Member of the 
government of the Canton (state) of Uri in central Switzerland.  At 
roughly the same time, two other bombs exploded outside the homes of 
Edi Engelberger, National Councilor (Congressman) from the Canton of 
Nidwalden, and Judith Stamm, former National Councilor from Lucerne 
Canton.  The bombs were placed in the mailbox or in front of the 
entrance door of the politicians' private homes and set off by a 
timed fuse.  The blasts caused limited material damage and no 
personal harm. 
 
¶3. (U) Nobody has claimed responsibility for the explosions but 
police suspect that a group of right-wing extremists were the 
authors of all three attacks.  The three targeted politicians shared 
responsibility for the organization of the National Day Celebrations 
on August 1 on the Rutli meadow, a place of mythical importance to 
the Swiss, where according to legend Switzerland's founding fathers 
took their first pledge of allegiance.  Dittli, as Head of the 
Cantonal Security Department of Uri (where the Rutli is located), 
held overall responsibility for security for the National Day 
celebrations; Engelberger and Stamm both serve on the civil society 
group "SGG" that formally hosted the event. 
 
¶4. (U) Police assume that the right-wing extremists placed the bombs 
as acts of revenge for having been prevented from reaching the Rutli 
on August 1.  A few hundred right-wing extremists used to convene on 
the Rutli every year on August 1 to disrupt the National Day 
celebrations there and to chant racist slogans.  In order to prevent 
a repeat of such events this year, the SGG and political authorities 
decided to seal off the Rutli and host the celebrations 
by-invitation only.  (Note:  Set in mountainous terrain on the shore 
of Lake Lucerne, the Rutli can only be conveniently reached by boat. 
 In the event, police easily foiled the attempts of some right-wing 
extremists to reach the Rutli meadow in rubber dinghies.  End note) 
Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey, a social democrat, was given a 
heroine's reception by a sympathetic crowd when she arrived at the 
Rutli and was able to deliver her National Day address without 
interruption.  The right-wing extremists, in turn, convened on the 
Rutli for a "National Barbecue" on the following Sunday, August 5, 
in reaction to having been barred from the Rutli during the National 
Day ceremonies on August 1. 
 
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Comment 
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¶5. (SBU) Given the limited impact and the timing of the blasts, the 
press speculated that the authors of the attacks did not want to 
hurt the politicians or their families.  According to press reports, 
Dittli called the blasts a "warning shot," but rejected insinuations 
that he would change course as a result of the attacks. 
Nevertheless, the simultaneous multiple attacks against the private 
homes of political figures stand in marked contrast to the normally 
tranquil life in Switzerland, where even the most senior politicians 
can be spotted on public transportation and walking around cities 
unescorted.  More worryingly, the recent blasts followed the 
detonation of a similar explosive device at the National Day 
celebrations on the Rutli itself on August 1.  Shortly after the end 
of the official program, a small bomb buried in the ground exploded. 
 This explosive device was also set off by a time fuse but luckily 
the crowd had already dispersed and nobody was harmed in the 
incident.  The federal police, which has jurisdiction over all 
criminal acts involving explosive devices, has yet to conclude its 
investigation of the August 1 blast but speculation is rife that 
right-wing extremists were behind this incident, too.  If this 
speculation proves accurate, it would be a worrying sign that some 
individuals or elements of the right-wing extremist movement in 
Switzerland are shifting to new violent tactics. End comment. 
CARTER