China – There are conflicting reports throughout the media regarding a vehicle which seemingly caught fire in Tiananmen Square on the 28 Oct 13. The vehicle allegedly caught fire killing the three occupants, two bystanders; wounding dozens of policemen and passing tourists a total of approximately 38 were injured. One account said that they had heard an explosion. This could have been the fuel tank exploding or as it was put, “the vehicle colliding with a guard rail”. The account of the vehicle having two passengers is giving the authorities something to ponder as ‘why would a suicide attack have a driver and two passengers?’ It is possible that this was a suicide attack carried out by the Uygers but they are not known for carrying out suicide attacks. Little is known about the “Uyger Holy War Organisation” but the struggle it is involved in is well documented. The Uygers have had a long and complicated relationship with the Chinese government from its communist days to the present. In Iraq when terrorists were targeting various areas to commit suicide bombers there were occasional times when a taxi was used, along the route they would pick up a legitimate fair, reports later said that it was the drivers mother and wife. They would then get through vehicle checkpoints and detonate their suicide vehicle bomb carrying the ‘fair’ and themselves. This may have been one of those occasions or they may have decided to place a driver and two passengers in the vehicle so that it did not draw attention to itself. With so many injuries reported even a full fuel tank would not have a very large killing area. But, if there was an explosive device in the vehicle and it was destined to gain publicity to the Uyger cause the amount of injuries suggests that it may have been an explosive device. Unfortunately with the restrictions the Chinese government places on the media and press it may take sometime for the truth to emerge. On the other hand we may not here anything else regarding this incident. If it was an attack then this would be very embarrassing for the Chinese government. It was reported later that security had been raised in the area.
Myanmar – People from Britain, France, the United States and Australia have been warned recently to be extra vigilant after a series of small explosions have exploded recently (16 Oct 13). Although the countries have stopped short of issuing a travel warning none-the-less they have warned those that are visiting to be careful due to a “high threat of terrorism”. The attacks if they occurred would be indiscriminate and likely to happen where foreigners congregate. The country is to host the Southeast Asian Games which will be held in Dec 13 and is a major sporting event. It is thought that the small explosions were likely aimed at stoking panic and harming efforts by the new quasi-civilian government rather than causing casualties as well as frightening foreign investors. No group has claimed responsibility for the terrorist incidents.
Pakistan/India – At 1930 hrs on the 18 Oct 13, Pakistani troops opened fire at about 50 locations along Pakistan's border with India in the biggest cease-fire violation in a decade. The bombardment was not meant to inflict casualties but instead may have been a diversionary tactic to allow suicide squads and terrorist groups to slip into India unnoticed. Recent meetings between Pakistani Inter-Service Intelligence Chief Lt. Gen. Zaheer ul-Islam and leaders of the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist group signal a resurgence of violence within the disputed territory of Kashmir and widespread terrorist attacks across India for the summer of 2014.
Russia – A suspected female suicide bomber detonated an explosive device on a bus in the southern city of Volograd killing approximately six people it was reported on the 20 Oct 13. The last significant attack on Russia’s transport system was the attack on Moscow’s Domodedovo airport which was reported on the 21 Jan 11 and was caused by a suicide bomber. The suicide bomber is suspected of originating from Dagestan and from the Naida Akhiyalova area. Islamists in Chechnya and Dagestan want independence from Russia so that they can amalgamate the two provinces together and turn them into an Islamist state. It is possible that there may be a connection with the problems in Chechnya and that the female may possibly be connected to the “Black Widows” a female terrorist group attached to the Chechnya conflict and renown for using female suicide bombers. By using fear against the civilian population using public transport this may have an effect on the up and coming winter Olympic Games being held in Sochi in Feb 14 the attack will not go unnoticed by Russia nor the Olympic committee. It is doubtful that this attack will be a one off and the chances are that there will not only be more to follow but that the violence will escalate. Although at the time of writing no group had claimed responsibility it is believed that the attack was carried out by the Caucasus Emirate and its Riyad-us-Saliheen Martyre Brigade.
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