Tuesday, 04 January 2011 08:46

Bus Bomb in Guatemala Kills Six

Written by  InSight
Bus Bomb in Guatemala Kills Six
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At least six people died and another dozen were wounded after a bomb exploded on a public bus on Monday in Guatemala City.

A spokesman for the Guatemalan police told EFE that they have not yet identified the type of explosive used in the attack.

So far eyewitness accounts of the tragedy differ. According to EFE, some passengers report that a group of men in a car tossed an explosion onto the bus when it stopped on a city street. Other reports say that a woman left a briefcase on the bus which then detonated.

The transit industry in Guatemala is often targeted by gangs like the Mara Salvatrucha-13 (MS-13) and Barrio 18, looking to collect extortion money. Last year bus companies were forced to pay an estimated $1.5 million to criminal gangs, reports AFP. Last year an estimated 119 bus drivers were killed in Guatemala, after businesses refused to pay extortion rates. 

A gang-related bus bomb attack was previously registered in February 2009, after a suspected gang member planted a bomb on a public bus that injured four people. 

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