Militants attack Kashmir bus route safe house

April 6, 2005

Islamic militants claimed responsibility for an attack on a government guesthouse sheltering passengers on the first bus in 50 years to cross between the Indian and Pakistani sides of Kashmir. Authorities say the bus will depart as scheduled Thursday. The attack occurred in Srinagar on the Indian controlled side of Kashmir.

It is unclear whether the passengers or any others in the building, which housed several offices, were injured.

Four Islamic militant groups claimed responsibility later in the day for what they said was a suicide attack on the building complex. So far there has been no information from Indian security personnel as to how the attack was carried off.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to come to Srinagar to see the bus off on Thursday despite the attack. Another bus is due to depart from the Pakistani side of Kashmir, bound for India, later the same day.

One bomb exploded along the route yesterday and two other were defused.