Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09NEWDELHI2079
2009-10-09 11:24:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy New Delhi
Cable title:
SPECIAL MEDIA REPORT: BLAST OUTSIDE INDIAN
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 002079
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NP, AC, PM
STATE FOR INR/MR
STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO
STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU
STATE FOR AID/APRE-A
USDOC FOR 4530/IEP/ANESA/OSA FOR BILL MURPHY
E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REPORT: BLAST OUTSIDE INDIAN
EMBASSY IN KABUL
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 002079
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NP, AC, PM
STATE FOR INR/MR
STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO
STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU
STATE FOR AID/APRE-A
USDOC FOR 4530/IEP/ANESA/OSA FOR BILL MURPHY
E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REPORT: BLAST OUTSIDE INDIAN
EMBASSY IN KABUL
1. SUMMARY: The blast outside the Indian embassy in
Kabul on October 8, 2009, the second attack in two
years allegedly targeting the Indian Mission in
Afghanistan, generated widespread reporting in the
Indian media today. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao on
Friday arrived in Kabul to review the situation and
planned to meet with President Hamid Karzai. Indian
Ambassador Jayant Prasad was reported saying the
"Indian Embassy was the target." Reports said that the
Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. India's
envoy to the United Nations Hardeep Singh Puri
reportedly asked the world leaders to negotiate an
international treaty to tackle terrorism expeditiously.
Initial commentary in today's press is given below.
Editorial opinion appearing in the coming days will be
reported in subsequent cables. END SUMMARY.
"TALIBAN OWNS UP TO KABUL BLAST, SHIFTS FOCUS FROM
ISI," THE TIMES OF INDIA, English daily
2. In promptly claiming responsibility for the suicide
attack outside the Indian embassy in Kabul on Thursday,
the Taliban may have given the game away. Senior
intelligence and security officials said this was
nothing but a smokescreen created by the actual
perpetrators to keep the focus away from ISI whose
involvement in the July 2008 blast near the Indian
embassy that left 60 dead is well acknowledged. "It is
quite deliberate the way they have claimed
responsibility. The timing of the latest attack is very
important and it suggests that this too has been
executed by the perpetrators of last year's attacks
including the ISI. It comes at a time when President
Obama has initiated his two-pronged policy in the
region -- war in Afghanistan and aid surge in
Pakistan,'' said strategic affairs analyst Brahma
Chellaney.
"PAKISTAN SENDS A MESSAGE VIA KABUL BOMBER," THE
TELEGRAPH, English daily
3. A powerful but fortuitously aborted attack on the
Indian embassy in Kabul today was Pakistan's message to
India that its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) can
hit Indian interests anytime, anywhere with impunity.
It came exactly four days after Pakistan's foreign
minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who has stayed back in
the US after his testy meeting with external affairs
minister S.M. Krishna in New York on September 27,
publicly warned that Indians "have to justify their
interest" in Kabul.
"KABUL AGAIN," THE INDIAN EXPRESS, English daily
4. This time too, the Afghan foreign office has pointed
to persons with "bases outside of Afghanistan", to
those positioned against India-Afghanistan relations.
Investigators should get firmer leads soon. India's
personnel are not military people, they are engineers,
doctors, teachers, and construction workers, all
engaged in civilian activities and contributing to
NEW DELHI 00002079 002 OF 002
India's "soft" participation in nation-building there.
Their induction and presence have nuanced Indian
diplomacy in the region, and won local support. But
this kind of strategic gain, as seen on Thursday, comes
with huge risks to lives.
"ANOTHER ATTACK," NAVBHARAT TIMES, Hindi daily
5. With another blast targeted at the Indian Embassy in
Kabul after more than a year, we may not squarely blame
Pakistan, but it is time we ask Pakistan what happened
to the probe it had promised the last time around.
India also needs to be prepared for the day when
America vacates Afghanistan, leaving a puppet regime
and lots of mess behind.
"BLAST IN KABUL," HINDUSTAN, Hindi daily
6. Pakistan is trying to show AMERICA that terrorism in
South Asia is a fall out of India's position on
Kashmir. But AMERICA is not fully convinced yet. The
bomb attack outside the Indian embassy on October 8 is
a part of this covert attempt by Pakistan to convince
America that such incidents are a sign of revolt
against India's position on Kashmir.
"INDIA ON TARGET AGAIN," AMAR UJALA, Hindi daily
7. By attacking the Indian embassy in Kabul, Al Qaeda
has made it clear that India is as much its enemy as
America. In fact, for the Taliban and Al Qaeda, India
is enemy no. 2, after the U.S. That no Indian was
killed in this attack is a mere co-incidence.
Afghanistan is a vexed situation. President Obama
appointed Richard Holbrooke as special envoy to the
region, but then the U.S. is all at sea. As for Al
Qaeda and the Taliban, they are only growing stronger.
ROEMER
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NP, AC, PM
STATE FOR INR/MR
STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO
STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU
STATE FOR AID/APRE-A
USDOC FOR 4530/IEP/ANESA/OSA FOR BILL MURPHY
E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REPORT: BLAST OUTSIDE INDIAN
EMBASSY IN KABUL
1. SUMMARY: The blast outside the Indian embassy in
Kabul on October 8, 2009, the second attack in two
years allegedly targeting the Indian Mission in
Afghanistan, generated widespread reporting in the
Indian media today. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao on
Friday arrived in Kabul to review the situation and
planned to meet with President Hamid Karzai. Indian
Ambassador Jayant Prasad was reported saying the
"Indian Embassy was the target." Reports said that the
Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. India's
envoy to the United Nations Hardeep Singh Puri
reportedly asked the world leaders to negotiate an
international treaty to tackle terrorism expeditiously.
Initial commentary in today's press is given below.
Editorial opinion appearing in the coming days will be
reported in subsequent cables. END SUMMARY.
"TALIBAN OWNS UP TO KABUL BLAST, SHIFTS FOCUS FROM
ISI," THE TIMES OF INDIA, English daily
2. In promptly claiming responsibility for the suicide
attack outside the Indian embassy in Kabul on Thursday,
the Taliban may have given the game away. Senior
intelligence and security officials said this was
nothing but a smokescreen created by the actual
perpetrators to keep the focus away from ISI whose
involvement in the July 2008 blast near the Indian
embassy that left 60 dead is well acknowledged. "It is
quite deliberate the way they have claimed
responsibility. The timing of the latest attack is very
important and it suggests that this too has been
executed by the perpetrators of last year's attacks
including the ISI. It comes at a time when President
Obama has initiated his two-pronged policy in the
region -- war in Afghanistan and aid surge in
Pakistan,'' said strategic affairs analyst Brahma
Chellaney.
"PAKISTAN SENDS A MESSAGE VIA KABUL BOMBER," THE
TELEGRAPH, English daily
3. A powerful but fortuitously aborted attack on the
Indian embassy in Kabul today was Pakistan's message to
India that its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) can
hit Indian interests anytime, anywhere with impunity.
It came exactly four days after Pakistan's foreign
minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who has stayed back in
the US after his testy meeting with external affairs
minister S.M. Krishna in New York on September 27,
publicly warned that Indians "have to justify their
interest" in Kabul.
"KABUL AGAIN," THE INDIAN EXPRESS, English daily
4. This time too, the Afghan foreign office has pointed
to persons with "bases outside of Afghanistan", to
those positioned against India-Afghanistan relations.
Investigators should get firmer leads soon. India's
personnel are not military people, they are engineers,
doctors, teachers, and construction workers, all
engaged in civilian activities and contributing to
NEW DELHI 00002079 002 OF 002
India's "soft" participation in nation-building there.
Their induction and presence have nuanced Indian
diplomacy in the region, and won local support. But
this kind of strategic gain, as seen on Thursday, comes
with huge risks to lives.
"ANOTHER ATTACK," NAVBHARAT TIMES, Hindi daily
5. With another blast targeted at the Indian Embassy in
Kabul after more than a year, we may not squarely blame
Pakistan, but it is time we ask Pakistan what happened
to the probe it had promised the last time around.
India also needs to be prepared for the day when
America vacates Afghanistan, leaving a puppet regime
and lots of mess behind.
"BLAST IN KABUL," HINDUSTAN, Hindi daily
6. Pakistan is trying to show AMERICA that terrorism in
South Asia is a fall out of India's position on
Kashmir. But AMERICA is not fully convinced yet. The
bomb attack outside the Indian embassy on October 8 is
a part of this covert attempt by Pakistan to convince
America that such incidents are a sign of revolt
against India's position on Kashmir.
"INDIA ON TARGET AGAIN," AMAR UJALA, Hindi daily
7. By attacking the Indian embassy in Kabul, Al Qaeda
has made it clear that India is as much its enemy as
America. In fact, for the Taliban and Al Qaeda, India
is enemy no. 2, after the U.S. That no Indian was
killed in this attack is a mere co-incidence.
Afghanistan is a vexed situation. President Obama
appointed Richard Holbrooke as special envoy to the
region, but then the U.S. is all at sea. As for Al
Qaeda and the Taliban, they are only growing stronger.
ROEMER