Terrorist Bomb Intended for 12-story Police Headquarters in Mexico City

Michael Webster:Investigative Reporterspeculation that drug gangs orchestrated the attack in
Quoting anonymous federal and local officials theresponse to a series of raids against them in Mexico
Mexico City newspaper El Universal, reported inCity, which had been relatively immune from cartel
Saturday's editions that Friday's bomber intended toviolence.
plant the homemade device in the 12-story police"They don't attack strategic installations," Mr. Saynez
headquarters but accidentally detonated it 200 yardstold reporters after a Navy ceremony. "They use
away.other methods."
The massive explosion blew out windows inBut Arturo Yañez, who trains Mexico City
apartment buildings, damaged several cars and causeddetectives and has worked in federal law
panic in the American La Rosa area of Mexico City.enforcement, said the bombing attempt looked too
El Universal identified the Sinaloa cartel, led byamateurish for sophisticated drug cartels, which have
Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán and thecarried out surgical strikes against top law
Beltrán Leyva brothers, as the "intellectual authors"enforcement officials.
of the botched attack.A more likely suspect is the Popular Revolutionary
Suspicion is that this was a type of terrorist attack byArmy, or EPR, Mr. Yañez added.
a possible suicide bomber and the dead man was theThe EPR declared a campaign against government
cause of the explosion. Mexico City Police Chief Joelinstallations last year, demanding that two of its leaders
Ortega, during a television interview late Friday, said thebe released from federal detention. Even though
man killed in the blast was wearing a dress suit over afederal authorities say they are not holding the two
sweat suit. He said the bomber probably planned tomen.
plant the device and then take off the dress suit toIn the mean time violence continues in Mexico City and
fool people monitoring security cameras.to the border cities to the north. In La Jornada Local
A 22-year-old woman believed to have accompaniedlegislators have asked the governor of Baja California
the bomber was seriously injured in the blast and couldto urgently revise the "Public Security State System"
hold the key to the investigation, Chief Ortega added.due to the levels of violence in this border area..
Mexican media said the woman lived in aDeputy Carlos Barboza pointed out that business
neighborhood awash in illegal drugs and near a Sinaloapeople and non-governmental organizations complain
cartel operative arrested last week by Mexico Cityabout the increase in kidnappings in Tijuana, Juarez,
officials.Mexicali and other border towns. He added that this
Mexican officials was not certain that this bomb attackgrowing violence harms society and families. "No one is
was a suicide attack or just a terrorist bomber.safe from its repercussions." Further, that law and
According to bomb experts suicide bomber is anorder have been overwhelmed and thus it is urgent to
attack on a military or civilian target, in which anfind a solution with the participation of various sectors
attacker intends to kill others, knowing that he or sheof society and politicians. He labeled as "alarming" the
will either certainly or most likely die in the process.week about to end, during which there have been a
Most suicide bombers attach bomb vests to their bodynumber of kidnappings, shootouts and homicides.
and detonate the bomb. This means of attack haveToday in La Cronica Mexicali, three Mexican Federal
included vehicles filled with explosives, passengerAgents who had just arrived in Tijuana were
planes carrying large amounts of fuel, and individualskidnapped and their bodies were found at dawn
wearing vests filled with explosives. Synonyms includeyesterday by a dirt road on the outskirts of Tecate,
suicide-homicide bombing, martyrdom operations,Baja Calif.; the three had their arms tied behind their
predatory martyrdom. Strictly speaking, an attack mayback and their heads had been wrapped with tape.
not be considered a suicide attack if the attacker isThey had all had been shot in the head and the empty
not killed (although they might hope and plan to be), orcartridges by the bodies are of AK47 combat rifle
if there is some question as to whether their intention iscasings.
to be killed even if the attack is certain to kill them.The Chief of Police of Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Juan
A top Mexican military official has ruled out the use ofJose Muniz Salinas, was arrested by Mex. federal
soldiers to reinforce security in the Mexican capital,police and has been taken to Mexico City. Though not
because he believes it was apparently a bungledyet formally charged, his arrest is based on the belief
attack on police headquarters by the suspectedthat he was protecting the "Zetas" thugs. The police
bomber who blew himself up and injured his femalefacility's radio frequencies were also believed to be
accomplice.compromised and are being investigated.
Navy Minister Francisco Saynez discounted