Mexico City bombing kills 1 man, wounds 2; police investigate organized crime links

A homemade bomb exploded near Mexico City's police headquarters Friday, killing one person and wounding two others in an attack police said could be linked to organized crime.

The explosion about 50 yards (50 meters) from the police compound broke windows and damaged cars in the immediate vicinity, part of a popular tourist area. Blocks away, high-rise buildings shook along the capital city's central Reforma avenue.

No group claimed responsibility for the blast, which came as Mexico's government fights violent drugs gangs and small rebel groups that have set off explosives outside banks and blown up pipelines belonging to the state-owned oil company, Petroleos Mexicanos.

"It is possible that organized crime is linked to the attack," said Rodolfo Felix, Mexico City's top prosecutor, at a news conference. He said federal agents will help in the investigation.

A man between the age of 25 and 30, who has not been identified, was killed in the explosion and two other people were injured, police chief Joel Ortega said. It was not clear if the dead man was responsible for the bomb or if he simply picked up the package, which was inside a plastic bag, from the sidewalk.

"Because of the type of injuries, we suspect this man was carrying the explosive in his right hand," Ortega said late Friday.

The blast severed the man's right hand and left leg, burnt 80 percent of his body and caused multiple fractures. He died at a hospital, Ortega said.

A 22-year-old woman, who Ortega said knew the man killed, suffered serious burns. A 29-year-old man had minor wounds.

Minutes after the blast, police officers dressed in riot gear swarmed and cordoned off the area.

Ortega said investigators believe the explosive was activated remotely by a cell phone.

A police official who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with department policy identified the injured woman as Tania Vazquez and the wounded man as Javier Gonzalez.

Vazquez, who is in stable condition, remained at a hospital guarded by police. Gonzalez was taken to police headquarters so he could talk to investigators, Ortega said.

Ortega said the explosive contained gunpowder, pieces of metal and pellets.

Sol Jimenez, a woman who was in a building across the street from the site of the explosion, said the blast "was so strong it made the window tremble."

Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard condemned the explosion and said police have boosted patrols.

In recent weeks, police have announced the arrest in Mexico City of several alleged members of the powerful Sinaloa drug cartel, and the seizure of several large weapons caches, including grenades and high-powered rifles.

___

Associated Press writer E. Eduardo Castillo contributed to this report.