PROBABLE RIGHT-WING BOMB ATTACKS AGAINST THREE SWISS CANTONAL OFFICIALS - WARNING SHOT?

UNCLAS BERN 000880 SIPDIS SENSITIVE, SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/AGS, INR/EU, AND S/CT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOVPTER PHUM SZ SUBJECT: PROBABLE RIGHT-WING BOMB ATTACKS AGAINST THREE SWISS CANTONAL OFFICIALS - WARNING SHOT? -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) In the early morning hours of September 4, three small bombs exploded outside the homes of three prominent politicians in central Switzerland. The blasts caused limited damage and nobody was harmed in any of these incidents. A link to international terrorist groups can be virtually ruled out; police suspect right-wing extremists planted the bombs and the three politicians were targeted for their prominent role in the organization of the National Day Celebrations on the mythical Rutli meadow. On August 1, security forces had foiled an attempt by right-wing extremists to reach the closed-off Rutli, canceling their plans to disrupt the National Day Address of Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey. Federal Police have opened an investigation of the explosions. End Summary. ¶2. (U) On September 4 at 5:00 a.m., a small bomb detonated in the mailbox outside the private home of Josef Dittli, Member of the government of the Canton (state) of Uri in central Switzerland. At roughly the same time, two other bombs exploded outside the homes of Edi Engelberger, National Councilor (Congressman) from the Canton of Nidwalden, and Judith Stamm, former National Councilor from Lucerne Canton. The bombs were placed in the mailbox or in front of the entrance door of the politicians' private homes and set off by a timed fuse. The blasts caused limited material damage and no personal harm. ¶3. (U) Nobody has claimed responsibility for the explosions but police suspect that a group of right-wing extremists were the authors of all three attacks. The three targeted politicians shared responsibility for the organization of the National Day Celebrations on August 1 on the Rutli meadow, a place of mythical importance to the Swiss, where according to legend Switzerland's founding fathers took their first pledge of allegiance. Dittli, as Head of the Cantonal Security Department of Uri (where the Rutli is located), held overall responsibility for security for the National Day celebrations; Engelberger and Stamm both serve on the civil society group "SGG" that formally hosted the event. ¶4. (U) Police assume that the right-wing extremists placed the bombs as acts of revenge for having been prevented from reaching the Rutli on August 1. A few hundred right-wing extremists used to convene on the Rutli every year on August 1 to disrupt the National Day celebrations there and to chant racist slogans. In order to prevent a repeat of such events this year, the SGG and political authorities decided to seal off the Rutli and host the celebrations by-invitation only. (Note: Set in mountainous terrain on the shore of Lake Lucerne, the Rutli can only be conveniently reached by boat. In the event, police easily foiled the attempts of some right-wing extremists to reach the Rutli meadow in rubber dinghies. End note) Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey, a social democrat, was given a heroine's reception by a sympathetic crowd when she arrived at the Rutli and was able to deliver her National Day address without interruption. The right-wing extremists, in turn, convened on the Rutli for a "National Barbecue" on the following Sunday, August 5, in reaction to having been barred from the Rutli during the National Day ceremonies on August 1. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Given the limited impact and the timing of the blasts, the press speculated that the authors of the attacks did not want to hurt the politicians or their families. According to press reports, Dittli called the blasts a "warning shot," but rejected insinuations that he would change course as a result of the attacks. Nevertheless, the simultaneous multiple attacks against the private homes of political figures stand in marked contrast to the normally tranquil life in Switzerland, where even the most senior politicians can be spotted on public transportation and walking around cities unescorted. More worryingly, the recent blasts followed the detonation of a similar explosive device at the National Day celebrations on the Rutli itself on August 1. Shortly after the end of the official program, a small bomb buried in the ground exploded. This explosive device was also set off by a time fuse but luckily the crowd had already dispersed and nobody was harmed in the incident. The federal police, which has jurisdiction over all criminal acts involving explosive devices, has yet to conclude its investigation of the August 1 blast but speculation is rife that right-wing extremists were behind this incident, too. If this speculation proves accurate, it would be a worrying sign that some individuals or elements of the right-wing extremist movement in Switzerland are shifting to new violent tactics. End comment. CARTER