VZCZCXRO3442
PP RUEHAST RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHNEH RUEHPW
DE RUEHBI #0053/01 0451140
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 141140Z FEB 10
FM AMCONSUL MUMBAI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7745
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 0857
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 0160
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 0274
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 0070
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 2986
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 8955
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 2009
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 2222
RUEHNEH/AMCONSUL HYDERABAD PRIORITY 0078
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MUMBAI 000053 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PTER IN
SUBJECT: BOMB BLAST IN PUNE:  SUSPECTED TERRORIST ATTACK, NO AMERICAN 
CASUALTIES 
 
MUMBAI 00000053  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  At around 7:15 pm on February 13, a bomb 
exploded in a restaurant often frequented by foreigners in Pune 
city, about three hours by road southeast of Mumbai, in an 
apparent terrorist attack.  Indian officials have confirmed nine 
deaths, including at least one foreigner, with over 55 injured. 
So far, no Americans are reported hurt or killed; American 
Citizen Services and Regional Security Office teams are on the 
ground.  The Embassy held a core EAC meeting and issued a 
mission-wide message and Warden Message.  Consulate Mumbai has 
also held an EAC (septel). 
 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) Indian officials told Congenoffs that links to the 
domestic terrorist group Indian Mujahedeen are "speculative," 
and that there are no suspects yet in the case.  Indian Home 
Minister P. Chidambaram cautioned against speculation until the 
investigation is complete.  While Maharashtra state police are 
leading the investigation, the Home Minister appears to be 
asserting national authority over the investigation and its 
public portrayal, having quickly appeared on the scene in Pune 
and insisted on coordination among national law enforcement 
bodies. 
 
 
 
¶3. (SBU)  Ambassador Roemer contacted the Home Minister shortly 
after the blast to express his condolences and offer appropriate 
assistance.  GOI law enforcement authorities are considering 
Legatt's offer of technical assistance.  There is media 
speculation that the blast was timed to coincide with the 
resumption of talks between India and Pakistan.  External 
Affairs Minister Krishna has been quoted in the press as 
agreeing that this attack by as-yet unidentified perpetrators is 
designed to hurt prospects for the talks.  In the first major 
terrorist incident since the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, the 
central government will likely aim to overcome the lethargy that 
characterized its reaction to that crisis.  There are no signs 
yet that the GOI is backtracking from the talks.   End Summary. 
 
 
 
Bomb Blast in Pune Restaurant, but no American Casualties 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU)  At approximately 7:15 pm on Saturday, February 13, a 
single blast occurred at a restaurant in Pune city, about three 
hours southeast of Mumbai.  Police claim that the blast was 
caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) concealed in a 
bag.  The restaurant, the German Bakery, is a favorite with 
Pune-based foreigners, and is within 200 meters of the Osho 
Ashram, where many foreigners reside, and Chabad House, an 
orthodox Jewish community center.  (Note:  The Mumbai Chabad 
House was targeted in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks.  End 
Note.)  Indian authorities have confirmed nine dead, and over 57 
injured.   So far, there are no reports of Americans killed or 
injured; American Citizen Services and Regional Security Office 
teams are on the ground.  The Embassy held a core EAC meeting 
and issued a mission-wide message and Warden Message.  Consulate 
Mumbai has also held an EAC (septel).  Most of the killed and 
injured appear to be Indian nationals.  The GOI has not made any 
official determination of the nationality of those killed in the 
blast.  However, RSO and Consular teams in Pune state that there 
is at least one foreigner among the dead. 
 
 
 
Indian Government Claims Bomb was Terrorist Attack, But 
Perpetrators Unknown 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) Maharashtra state authorities quickly concluded that 
 
MUMBAI 00000053  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
the bombing was a terrorist attack targeted at foreigners in 
Pune.  Press reports initially linked the blasts with the 
domestic terrorist group Indian Mujahedeen (IM).  However, 
Mumbai Joint Commissioner of Police Himanshu Roy told the Consul 
General that reports of IM involvement were "speculative," and 
that there are so far no suspects in the bombing.  (Note: 
Indian Mujahedeen is an India-based terrorist group which took 
claim for blasts in Uttar Pradesh in 2007, and Jaipur, 
Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Delhi serial blasts throughout 2008. 
Since these attacks, the Indian government arrested a number of 
alleged members.  In previous attacks, IM immediately claimed 
responsibility for bombings; however, no group has yet claimed 
responsibility for Pune incident.  End Note.)  Maharashtra state 
Chief Minister, Ashok Chavan, told the Consul General that the 
Maharashtra state police, including the Anti-Terrorism Squad 
(ATS), has the lead on the investigation, but will receive 
assistance from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the 
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).  (The Consul General also 
offered U.S. assistance to the investigation.)  ATS officials 
told the press that the IED was between five and seven 
kilograms. 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) At a press conference in Pune Sunday morning, Indian 
Home Minister P. Chidambaram urged the press and public not to 
speculate about the causes and targets of the attacks until the 
forensic and police investigation is complete.  Nevertheless, 
noting that this is the first significant attack since the 
November 2008 Mumbai attacks, Chidambaram said, "All the 
information available to us at the moment points to a plot to 
explode a device in a place that is frequented by foreigners as 
well as Indians."  Chidambaram claimed that the German Bakery 
was one of the sites surveyed by Lashkar-e-Toiba associate David 
Headley - along with Chabad House and the Osho Ashram -- and 
that police had been "sensitized" to its potential as a target. 
Chidambaram reiterated his request that the GOI be provided 
access to Headley.  (CM Chavan also noted the Headley connection 
in conversation with the CG. Headley, now in the U.S. custody, 
reportedly stayed at a hotel next door to the German Bakery 
while in Pune.)  However, Chidambaram said that there was no 
specific intelligence about a possible attack. 
 
 
 
Ambassador Offers Condolences and Assistance 
 
---------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) The Ambassador called Home Minister Chidambaram the 
evening of February 13 to express our sympathies to the victims 
and to offer U.S. help.  The Home Minister said it was too early 
to know many details about the attack and promised to be in 
touch.  Also on February 13, Legatt reached out to law 
enforcement contacts to highlight U.S. willingness to provide 
forensic assistance as the U.S. did following the Mumbai 
attacks.  GOI officials said at this point in the investigation, 
they had the remains of the IED and a number of witnesses.  They 
said they would respond in the next several days to USG offers 
of help. 
 
 
 
Timed To Disrupt Indo-Pak talks? 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Spokespersons for the Opposition BJP Party were quick 
to jump on the blast as evidence of continued involvement of 
Pakistani elements in terror in India and questioned whether 
Foreign Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan that 
had been announced on Friday should go forward.  Both Home 
Minister Chidambaram and ruling Congress Party spokespersons 
refused to comment on the consequences for the nascent round of 
 
MUMBAI 00000053  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
talks, which were to be held February 25.  External Affairs 
Minister S.M. Krishna has been quoted as stating that the blasts 
were aimed at injuring prospects for the talks. 
 
 
 
¶9. (SBU) Comment:  The Home Minister's pro-active involvement in 
the case indicates that the Indian Government will take this 
case more seriously than others in the past.  With no immediate 
suspects, however, finding the perpetrators will involve 
significant police work and collaboration between the new 
National Investigation Agency and other law enforcement 
agencies, for the first time.  At the state level, questions are 
being raised about the police and their commitment to protecting 
previously-identified targets.  With the police force regularly 
consumed with basic law and order responsibilities - such as 
ensuring controversial movies open peacefully in Mumbai -- 
terrorists will continue to find opportunities to strike soft 
targets in the state.  The broader implications for 
Indo-Pakistan dialogue will only become apparent in the next 
several days.  End Comment. 
FOLMSBEE