Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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November 23, 2007

Blasts Hit Three Northern Indian Cities, Killing At Least 13
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1A5891B:A6F02AD83191E160EF617974C7A32CE60531BB26A5003E7B& Series of near
simultaneous blasts rocks courthouses in three cities in Uttar Pradesh
state Friday





Indian policemen and onlookers gather at the site of a blast, outside
the civil court in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 23 Nov 2007

Indian police say a series of near simultaneous blasts has killed at
least 13 people and wounded more than 45 others in the northern state
of Uttar Pradesh.

The explosions occurred Friday in the courthouses of three northern
cities - Lucknow, Varanasi and Faizabad. Officials say many of those
killed or wounded were lawyers.

Uttar Pradesh officials blame terrorists for the attacks. The cities
have a history of communal tension between India's majority Hindus and
its minority Muslims.

Of the 13 dead - at least nine people were killed in Varanasi, one of
India's holiest cities. Pilgrims travel to the city to bathe in the
Ganges river as part of a Hindu religious festival.

In Lucknow, the state capital, police say a bomb was rigged to a
motorcycle outside the courthouse.

Indian authorities say militants often target religious locales in an
effort to further divide majority Hindus and minority Muslims.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.


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