Bomb blast in Rangoon amidst tight security Thu 25 Sep 2008,IMNA A small bomb exploded near Myanmar Main's City Hall today, a day before the first anniversary of the bloody military crackdown on anti-government demonstrators led by monks last year. The explosion occurred in the midst of heightened security in Rangoon (Yangon).
Eyewitness said four people were injured three of whom are women. The police took them away in jeeps.
The blast occurred near the Bandula Garden fence at about 10:30 a.m. at the 97 bus stop which was the central site for demonstrations led by monks in September 2007.
"The Burmese authorities have beefed up security and are checking passengers. Officials have sealed off the blast site," a Rangoon resident told IMNA.
The injured women were selling food near the blast site and some eyewitnesses said that two were in a critical state.
This is the third bomb blast in Rangoon in a month. There were small bomb blasts in Tarhmwe police station on September 21 and in Pegu division on September 12.
Small bomb blasts have been common in Burma since independence in 1948 and the Burmese junta regularly accuses dissidents and ethnic armed groups for any explosions that occur.
Recently the military regime told authorities in Mon and Karen State that some dissident groups based in Thailand will send in people to cause explosions in Burma and had beefed up security.
Local authorities have been checking passengers on the highway from Mon and Karen States to Rangoon. The checks are more stringent on Buddhist monks.
