VZCZCXYZ0020
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAS #0925 2331730
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 201730Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY ALGIERS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6268
INFO RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 2471
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 7327
RUEHBP/AMEMBASSY BAMAKO 0663
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 2839

UNCLAS ALGIERS 000925 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR DS/IP/ITA, DS, DS/DSS, SDERCC, S/CT, S/ES-O, DS/ICI/PII, 
DS/IP/NEA, DS/IP/FPO, NEA/EX 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PTER ASEC AG
SUBJECT:  SUICIDE CAR BOMB TARGETS FOREIGN COMPANY BUS 
 
REF:  ALGIERS 918 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Twelve people were killed and at least 31 wounded 
in twin car bombings in Bouira (75 miles east of Algiers) the 
morning of August 20.  The first bomb, which detonated at 
approximately 0545 hrs, targeted Bouira's regional military command 
and injured six soldiers.  Minutes later, 12 people died and 27 were 
wounded when a suicide car bomb went off downtown next to Bouira's 
largest hotel.  Most victims from the second bomb were traveling in 
a bus transporting employees of the Canadian construction firm SNC 
Lavalin.  The attacks followed by less than 24 hours a suicide 
vehicle bomb attack in Issers that killed 44 people (reftel).  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Two vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) 
exploded in the early morning of August 20 in Bouira, in the 
mountainous Kabylie region approximately 75 miles east of Algiers. 
The first detonation occurred at 0545 and targeted Bouira's regional 
military headquarters.  The explosion wounded six people and caused 
significant damage to the military barracks.  Early news reports 
indicated that the facade of the barracks had been torn off and 
several other buildings had been damaged.  It is still not clear 
whether the bombing was a suicide attack or if the car was detonated 
by remote control.  After the attack, Bouira was cordoned off by 
police and several additional roadblocks were set up in the 
surrounding region. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The second VBIED detonated at approximately 0605 hrs in 
front of a hotel in the downtown area of Bouira.  The explosion 
reportedly killed 12 people and wounded 27 others traveling on a bus 
transporting Algerian employees of SNC Lavalin.  The Canadian 
company's employees are picked up in front of the hotel each morning 
according to a regular schedule.  Three buses clearly marked as 
belonging to SNC Lavalin depart the hotel between 0600 and 0610. 
According to the company, there were no foreign nationals among the 
casualties.   Witnesses said the suicide bomber appeared to direct 
his vehicle towards the hotel before turning sharply to hit the bus 
transporting the SNC Lavalin employees.  The attacks occurred as 
Bouira prepared to host August 20 Martyrs Day commemorations marking 
events in the 1950s independence war against the French. 
 
SEPARATE ROADSIDE BOMB NEAR CONSTANTINE 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) According to press and police sources, a roadside bombing 
occurred late morning on August 19 against a convoy carrying 
employees of the Japanese company, Cojaal, near Constantine.  The 
device reportedly wounded one police escort officer.  Cojaal is 
building a section of the east/west highway across northern Algeria. 
 Its workers currently reside in a temporary compound called Camp 4. 
 Camp 4 also reportedly came under small arms fire during the night 
of August 18/19.  Although the press and police sources confirm the 
attacks, Cojaal denies that its camp and employees were directly 
affected by the incidents. 
 
¶5. (SBU) There have been no claims of responsibility as yet for the 
August 19 and 20 attacks, though local sources presume that Al-Qaeda 
in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) will shortly claim them.  Armed groups 
in Boumerdes and the surrounding mountainous, wooded region of 
Kabylie remain the most active in the country.  Algerian government 
officials estimate that between 300 and 400 AQIM militants are 
active in the area. 
 
¶6. (SBU) COMMENT:  The attacks in Bouira on August 20 were the fifth 
and possibly sixth suicide attacks in the Kabylie in the last month. 
 The tempo of the suicide attacks is unprecedented and, when 
combined with other attacks against military and other targets in 
the region since June, constitutes a pace of terrorist activity not 
seen in Algeria since at least 2002. 
 
DAUGHTON