VZCZCXRO6234
RR RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHNEH RUEHPW
DE RUEHCI #0088 0911138
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 011138Z APR 09
FM AMCONSUL KOLKATA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2319
INFO RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 2842

UNCLAS KOLKATA 000088 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/INS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER PGOV IN
SUBJECT: ULFA SUSPECTED IN MARCH 31 TERRORIST ATTACK KILLING ONE 
 
¶1. (SBU) On March 31, an improvised explosive devise (IED) 
exploded in Jyotikuchi locality in Guwahati, the capital of the 
Northeastern Indian state of Assam.  The IED killed one person 
and injured 13.  There were no American casualties.  According 
to police contacts, the motorcycle borne IED was timer detonated 
in front of a shop approximately two kilometers from the site of 
Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee's scheduled election 
rally.  Mukherjee was not in the vicinity at the time of the 
blast and continued with his campaign later that evening at an 
alternate venue.  As of today, no one has claimed responsibility 
for the attack. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Assam's Inspector General of Police in charge of Law 
and Order told POLFSN that the police suspect that the United 
Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) was responsible for the attack. 
Media contacts opined that the attack did not target Mukherjee, 
but rather was done in commemoration of the group's April 7 
anniversary.  Historically, ULFA has launched a series of IED 
attacks preceding the anniversary.  This latest attack occurred 
during a time when the Indian security agencies have stepped up 
operations against ULFA.  On March 31, 44 ULFA militants 
surrendered to the Indian Army.  Several journalists speculated 
to POLFSN that ULFA conducted the attack to demonstrate its 
continued operational capabilities to destabilize the security 
situation thereby making it easier to extort money from 
businesses to fund their ongoing activities. 
 
PAYNE