DISCOVERY OF IED NEAR U.S. EMBASSY - RANGOON

UNCLAS RANGOON 000387 SIPDIS DEPT FOR DS/DSS/IP, DS/IP/EAP, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/ICI/PII, EAP/EX, EAP/BCLTV E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC AMGT PTER BM SUBJECT: DISCOVERY OF IED NEAR U.S. EMBASSY - RANGOON REF: RSO CLASSIFIED E-MAIL TO DSERCC AND SES-O_DSOPCC DATED 27 MARCH ¶1. (U) AT APPROXIMATELY 06:20 THIS MORNING, AN IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE (IED) WAS DISCOVERED IN MAHABANDOOLA PARK WHICH FRONTS MERCHANT STREET ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE CHANCERY. THE DEVICE WAS DISCOVERED DURING A ROUTINE CHECK BY HOST COUNTRY SECURITY SERVICES AND WAS DESCRIBED AS A 1/2-POUND BLOCK OF TNT WITH TWO AA-BATTERIES, A FUSE DETONATOR, TIMER, AND A BLASTING CAP. THE IED WAS DISCOVERED INSIDE A PLASTIC SHOPPING BAG THAT WAS PLACED ON OPEN GROUND (NO CONCEALMENT),INSIDE THE PARK, APPROXIMATELY 200 METERS W-NW OF THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE CHANCERY. THE IED WAS APPROXIMATELY 5-METERS INSIDE THE PARK FENCE LINE THAT PARALLELS SULE PAGODA ROAD. HOST COUNTRY EOD SERVICES MOVED THE IED FROM THE PARK TO A SAFE AREA TO DISARM THE DEVICE, AND, INADVERTENTLY, DETONATED THE BLASTING CAP, SLIGHTLY INJURING TWO OF THE EOD PERSONNEL. THE TIMER ON THE DEVICE WAS SET FOR 0830. AS FAR AS WE KNOW, NO OTHER ITEMS, I.E. PAMPHLETS OR LITERATURE, WERE FOUND WITH THE DEVICE. ¶2. (U) POST BELIEVES THIS DEVICE WAS INTENDED TO CAUSE DISRUPTION TO THE "NATIONAL ARMED FORCES DAY" CELEBRATION WHICH IS SCHEDULED TODAY (27 MARCH). WE HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS TARGETED AGAINST THE U.S. EMBASSY. THE LOCATION OF THE IED IS FAR REMOVED FROM BOTH THE PARADE ROUTE AND CELEBRATION SITES, WHICH ARE CHECKED SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. EVEN IF DETONATED, THE DEVICE WOULD ONLY CAUSE MINIMAL DAMAGE, UNLESS, OF COURSE, A VISITOR HAPPENED TO BE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE DEVICE WHEN DETONATION OCCURRED. ¶3. (U) MAHABANDOOLA PARK IS CURRENTLY CLOSED. SECURITY SERVICES CONDUCTED A COMPLETE SWEEP OF THE PARK AND DID NOT LOCATE ANY OTHER DEVICES. LOCAL GUARDS HAVE CHECKED THE ENTIRE PERIMETER AROUND THE CHANCERY--WITHIN THE PROTECTIVE ZONE--AND DID NOT LOCATE ANY DEVICES. RSO ORDERED MSG POST ONE TO INITIATE AN EMERGENCY CELL CALL TO ALL AMERICAN STAFF ALERTING THEM TO AVOID THE EMBASSY AND PARK AREA UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. ALL EAC MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE CHARGE AND DCM, HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE SITUATION. RSO CONTACTED DSOPCC AT 09:15 TO REPORT THE INCIDENT. THE CONSULAR SECTION HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND A WARDEN MESSAGE WILL BE SENT TO THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY LATER THIS DATE. ¶4. (U) BARRING FURTHER INCIDENTS, POST IS PLANNING TO OPEN FOR NORMAL BUSINESS OPERATIONS ON FRIDAY, 28 MARCH. THE EAP IS SCHEDULED TO CONVENE AT 09:00 ON FRIDAY TO DISCUSS THE INCIDENT AND ASSESS POST SECURITY POSTURE. Martinez