2002 Lima bombing

The 2002 Lima bombing was a car bomb attack in Lima, Peru that occurred just outside the embassy of the United States, killing nine people and injuring thirty-two. The blast came just three days prior to a visit to Peru from the United States President George W. Bush. No Americans were caught in the explosion. An estimated 30 kilograms (66 lb) of explosives was used in the attack.[1]

2002 Lima bombing
LocationLa Molina District, Lima, Peru
DateMarch 20, 2002
10:45 pm
TargetUnited States embassy (suspected)
Attack type
Bombing
WeaponsCar bomb
Deaths9
Injured32
PerpetratorsUnknown

Attack

The bomb was planted at a mall four blocks from the American embassy. A seven-floor hotel and a branch of the Banco de Crédito del Perú bank were damaged, but the embassy compound itself, sitting behind a 20 ft high wall and distant from the street, received no apparent damage.[1] Two embassy security guards and one police officer were among the dead.[2]

Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo said he will "not permit democracy to be undermined by terrorist attacks." The interior minister claimed that the attack will not stop Bush's scheduled visit to Lima to meet with Toledo and the leaders of Colombia, Bolivia and Ecuador. A statement from the U.S. embassy said "We condemn the barbaric terrorist bombing this evening in the vicinity of our embassy in Lima." Minutes before leaving for Peru, Bush apparently said "You bet I'm going."[3]

Responsibility

The United States suspected that guerillas from the left-wing Shining Path terror group perpetrated the attack. The interior minister also said that sympathizers of former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, who fled the country in 2000, may be responsible.[4] International groups including Al-Qaeda and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) were also suspected.[5] However the main suspicion lay on Shining Path. The group however never claimed responsibility, nor did the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA), another guerilla group in the Internal conflict in Peru.[2] An analyst claimed the attack may have been motivated against Bush's War on Terror.[6]

The MRTA previously bombed the United States embassy in Lima on January 15, 1990.[7] It was bombed again on July 27, 1993, this time by Shining Path. Four people were wounded in this attack.[8]

See also

References
  1. 04.00 EST. "Peru car bomb kills eight | World news". The Guardian. Retrieved 2018-07-14.
  2. "CNN.com - Car bomb outside U.S. Embassy in Peru kills 9 - March 21, 2002". Edition.cnn.com. Retrieved 2018-07-14.
  3. "AMERICAS | Peru bomb fails to deter Bush". BBC News. 2002-03-21. Retrieved 2018-07-14.
  4. Grace, Francie (2002-03-21). "Peru On High Alert After Bombing". CBS News. Retrieved 2018-07-14.
  5. "After the bomb - Violence in Peru". Economist.com. 2002-03-28. Retrieved 2018-07-14.
  6. McDermott, Jeremy (2002-03-22). "Bush Peru visit goes on despite death blast". Telegraph. Retrieved 2018-07-14.
  7. Personal Security & Terrorism Awareness: A Comprehensive Risk Reduction ... - John Haynes, Roy Haynes - Google Books. ISBN 9780595215904. Retrieved 2018-07-14.
  8. Nash, Nathaniel C. (1993-07-28). "4 Wounded as Rebels Bomb U.S. Embassy in Peru - The New York Times". Nytimes.com. Retrieved 2018-07-14.

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