Gunmen attack US centre in Calcutta 1/22/02

[Valin]

BBC

Heavily-armed gunmen have attacked the US Government's information centre near the American consulate in Calcutta, killing five policemen.



Indian police said the four men, draped in shawls, sped up to the American Centre building on two motorcycles at about O615 local time (0045GMT), refusing to stop at checkpoints and shooting at police guards who returned fire. Sixteen other guards were injured in the attack, three critically, before the attackers fled.The area has now been sealed off. Four of the dead officers were killed on the spot. They were all from the Calcutta police or a private security agency, Group Four.

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Guilt claims

 

Two groups telephoned newspaper offices saying they carried out the attack.

 

One caller said he was from Harkat-ul Jehad-ul Islami (HUGI), which is active in northern India, and said the attack was in protest against "the evil empire of America".

 

The other said the Asif Raza Commandos, a group named after their leader, a Calcutta criminal with links to radical Islamic groups, were responsible.

 

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