KIGALI GRENADE ATTACKS ADD TO TENSIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000117 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/22/2010 TAGS: PINS PTER KCRM PGOV CASC ASEC RW SUBJECT: KIGALI GRENADE ATTACKS ADD TO TENSIONS REF: KIGALI 17 Classified By: CDA Anne Casper for reasons 1.4 (b) (d) ¶1. (SBU) On the evening of February 19, three near-simultaneous grenade attacks/explosions occurred in and near downtown Kigali. The attacks targeted a restaurant/supermarket, a multiple-story office building, and the city's main bus/taxi station, killing two individuals and reportedly injuring at least 18. Post cleared with CA and on the night of February 19-20 issued a warden message to resident Amcits. (Note: No Amcits were injured, and the attacks did not specifically target U.S. or Western interests, however some Amcits such as Peace Corps Volunteers or tourists make use of local transport.) CDA and polcouns drove by the three sites on February 20. All were open/functioning, with minimal or no signs of damage, and there were no additional police or security personnel visible. ¶2. (U) Police so far have arrested three suspects. Police spokesman Eric Kayiranga reportedly told local media on February 21 that one of the three men had confessed to the crime. Earlier, when confirming the attacks, Kayiranga speculated that they could have been the work of criminals, the FDLR, "Interahamwe," or simply an accident. ¶3. (C) To date, we have not seen any public statement by a senior Government of Rwanda (GOR) official other than Kayiranga about the attacks. (Note: All senior officials were scheduled to be in Gisenyi (Rubavu) from the evening of February 19 through February 23, to participate in an annual government retreat. End Note.) National Security Service external affairs chief Joseph Nzabamwita told CDA February 20 via telcon that he believed the attacks were more likely criminal in nature than connected to the FDLR. ¶4. (C) COMMENT: While there has been a series of grenade "discoveries" or attacks in Rwanda since mid-December, the last such attack in Kigali dates from early 2009. We do not yet have a clear indication of who was responsible and--as with the previous set of incidents--authorities in general and semi-official media remain tight-lipped. The political temperature in Rwanda had already begun to rise following the January 16 arrival of Ingabire. These attacks have further elevated anxieties in advance of Rwanda's August 2010 presidential elections. END COMMENT. CASPER