US embassy cable - 05MANILA3708

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 003708 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/PMBS, INR/EAP, S/CT 
NSC FOR GREEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/11/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, ASEC, CASC, PREL, PINS, RP 
SUBJECT: NO FATALITIES, 26 INJURED IN TWIN ZAMBOANGA BLASTS 
 
REF: A. MANILA 3018 
 
     B. MANILA 727 
 
Classified By: Political Officer Joseph Saus for 
Reason 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
1.  (C) Two explosions rocked central Zamboanga City the 
evening of August 10, leaving an estimated 26 injured with no 
deaths.  There are no claims of responsibility, and local 
civilian and security authorities say there are no definite 
leads so far in the investigation.  Philippine 
counterterrorism authorities suspect the bombings are an 
attempt by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and the Jemmah 
Islamiyah (JI) to divert military attention away from 
operations in central Mindanao in pursuit of ASG and JI 
fugitives.  In an initial survey of the casualties, there are 
no AMCITs among the injured -- including US military 
personnel in the Zamboanga area.  End Summary. 
 
Two Explosions Rock Zamboanga 
----------------------------- 
 
2.  (SBU) According to a Philippine National Police (PNP) 
internal memorandum, a bomb exploded at around 7 p.m. local 
time in central Zamboanga in front of a copra buying station. 
 According to initial Joint Special Operations Task 
Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P) assessments, the bomb was place 
underneath a parked vehicle.  About an hour later, another 
bomb exploded in a pension house situated above a restaurant 
also in central Zamboanga.  According to media reports, three 
suspects are in custody in connection to the bombings. 
 
ASG and JI diversion 
-------------------- 
 
3.  (C) Undersecretary Ricardo Blancafor of the Presidential 
Anti Terrorism Task Force (ATTF) told poloff on August 11 he 
believes the bombings were carried out by the ASG or the JI 
on behalf of the ASG to divert military forces and attention 
away from central Mindanao.  Currently, the Armed Forces of 
the Philippines (AFP) is engaged in southwestern Maguindanao 
Province in pursuit and interdiction operations against ASG 
leader Khadafi Janajalani and several JI operatives linked to 
the October 2002 Bali bombing (ref A). 
 
Mayor Bounces Back 
------------------ 
 
4.  (C) Poloff spoke with Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat 
on August 11.  Lobregat stressed there are no definite leads, 
adding four suspects are in detention and their identities 
are currently withheld as police try to expand the 
investigation.  He noted that police are working the crime 
scenes for clues and questioning victims as well for any 
information they may have regarding the perpetrators.  While 
city officials were careful to protect the crime scene, 
Lobregat emphasized that the streets were quickly cleaned to 
project that the city can bounce back and return to normal, 
refusing to be intimidated by terrorism. 
 
No AMCITs Affected 
------------------ 
 
5.  (SBU) CONS/ACS, upon receiving reports from of the events 
from local police and civil defense authorities, 
cross-checked the names of the injured in area hospitals with 
PIERS records concluding no likely AMCIT matches.  JSOTF-P 
accounted for all personnel and restricted movements off 
military facilities in Zamboanga City. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
6.  (C) Terrorist bombings are a familiar occurrence in 
Zamboanga and Mindanao, and the track record for solving 
these crimes is bleak.  Although the facts remain unclear, 
Blancaflor's assessment of ASG/JI involvement is highly 
probable.  The coordinated nature of these explosions and the 
diversionary modus operandi draw parallels to the ASG-claimed 
February 14 bombings in Manila and Mindanao (ref B).  End 
Comment. 
 
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