India - details and assessment of attack at Coca-Cola plant

=09Details: =20

=09Early Sunday morning, a Marxist rebel group known as the "People's War G=
roup" bombed a Coca-Cola plant near the town of Atmakuru in the southern In=
dian state of Andhra Pradesh. The attackers left behind a note in the loca=
l Telugu language saying the attack was in protest of the U.S. bombing of A=
fghanistan and "US imperialism." The note also threatened further attacks =
against other Western companies in Andhra Pradesh. In response to the atta=
ck, local police are stepping up patrols in Hyderabad (the capital of Andhr=
a Pradesh), and security was also beefed up around the city's technology pa=
rk, which houses a number of US software firms.
=09According to a statement from Coca-Cola, a dozen or so PWG members rode =
up to the plant via jeep and motorcycle and locked the night security guard=
s in a room before entering the factory and setting up steel cans filled wi=
th explosives, which they detonated. Although the attack caused extensive =
damage, there were no deaths or injuries. Several of the bombs apparently =
malfunctioned and did not detonate - these were later defused by the police=
bomb squad.

=09Assessment: =20

=09The PWG are engaged in an armed conflict against the Ahdhra Pradesh gove=
rnment to press for sweeping land reforms in favor of poor farmers. This i=
s their first attack against a Western firm. To date, they have not operat=
ed outside of Andhra Pradesh and thus most likely pose little threat to the=
Enron facilities in Mumbai and Dabhol, both of which are located in Mahara=
shtra. However, the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce issued a statement n=
oting that it was concerned about the safety of US nationals and companies =
operating in India. They noted, "American companies in India are a soft ta=
rget for terrorists. The government must see this and step up security to =
prevent any flight of capital." Business Controls has contacted the local =
security firm providing guard services for our offices in Mumbai and asked =
them to be vigilant - particularly at night - for signs of possible copycat=
attackers. Business Controls is also in contact with management at the Da=
bhol site regarding security matters.
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