Bomb Explodes at PM's Party Headquarters

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 001315

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE PASS USAID/DCHA/OFDA
LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PTER ASEC PINR NP
SUBJECT: Bomb Explodes at PM's Party Headquarters

REF: A) Kathmandu 1309, B) Kathmandu 1198


1. (U) A bomb exploded July 5 at the newly-opened
Kathmandu office of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's
faction of the Nepali Congress Party (NCP) around 10:45
a.m. local time. Police sources confirmed ten people
injured and hospitalized. One remains in critical
condition. Security forces immediately cordoned off the
area, a business district in southeastern Kathmandu.
Police suspect that the explosion, in a ground-floor
reception area, was caused by a timed device. So far no
one has claimed responsibility and no arrests have been
made.


2. (SBU) Minister for Physical Planning and Works
Chiranjibi Wagle--the second-ranking figure in Nepal's
government--reportedly was in the building when the blast
went off but escaped injury. Prime Minister Deuba was not
present. Reached by telephone after the incident, the PM
told Ambassador that any help the USG could offer in
carrying out the investigation of the blast would be
welcome. [Note: For two months previous to the July 5
bombing, Kathmandu had seen only one act of political
violence, the June 17 attempted firebombing of the home of
a high-ranking army officer (Ref B). End Note.]


3. (SBU) Comment: Although no party has yet claimed
responsibility for the attack, it likely was the work of
Maoist insurgents rather than Deuba's political rivals.
So far the two NCP factions look content to litigate their
differences. Embassy is alert to the possibility that
this bombing could signal the resumption of Maoist attacks
in the capital, but likely was designed to underline
Maoist opposition to promised national parliamentary
elections. Nepali Maoist leader Pachandra recently issued
a broadside threatening to prevent the election (Ref A).

MALINOWSKI