UPDATE ON MAY 13 JAIPUR BLASTS

UNCLAS NEW DELHI 001344 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PGOV EAID IN SUBJECT: UPDATE ON MAY 13 JAIPUR BLASTS REF: NEW DELHI ¶1. News outlets have published e-mails sent by "Indian Mujahideen," claiming responsibility for the May 13 bomb blasts in Jaipur. The messages included video attachments that purported to show bombs strapped to the bicycles that were used in the blasts, and included the details of a bicycle frame number. The message reportedly included threats of "an open war against India" unless the government moved away from supporting the United States and the United Kingdom. The press reported that the message also claimed the group wants to cripple tourism in Rajasthan, and teach "Hindu" India a lesson. It also lashed out at moderate Muslims. According to one embassy police contact, the e-mails were sent from an internet cafe in Ghaziabad, on the outskirts of Delhi. Messages labeled Indian Mujahideen were also sent from a similar e-mail address approximately 30 minutes before the November 2007 blasts at courthouses in three cities in Uttar Pradesh. ¶2. Mission India has provided relevant bomb blast training to Indian officials recently. In December 2007 the Center for Disease Control provided the course, "Bombings: Injury Patterns and Care," to health professionals in Mumbai, Ahedabad, and Delhi. Subsequent to the blasts, CDC provided the course materials in English, Hindi, and Urdu to relevant hospitals and other health facilities in Rajasthan. The Anti-Terrorism Assistance (ATA) Program provided a Post Blast investigation course to Indian law enforcement officials in October 2007 in the United States, as well. ATA also transferred USD 271,000 worth of bomb disposal equipment to Indian law enforcement officials in April 2008. The FBI offered another bomb related training program to the Indian police in April, and was awaiting a response as of the date of the blasts. MULFORD