Enlarge AP A burnt-out vehicle sits in a street in the northern border city of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on July 16. The detonation of a car bomb within sight of the U.S. border in Mexico has rattled officials who expect more of the devices — staples of terrorism and warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan — to emerge on the streets of Mexico. Dan Kumar, chief of international affairs for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said the cartels "absolutely have the capacity and ability" to continue such attacks and there is reason to "expect more of this type of violence." "This latest incident has raised a lot of concern in the U.S. and Mexico," Kumar said, adding that the cartels have turned even more violent in a vicious war to control the drug routes to the U.S. The bombing last Thursday in Ciudad Juárez, across the border from El Paso, killed three people, including a police officer. It marked the first time a vehicle bomb has emerged in the deadly conflict, Kumar said. El Paso Police Department spokesman Darrel Petry said there is no evidence the violence will spill into the U.S., but local authorities are prepared. "Are our officers advised to use extra caution? Yes," he said. Drug gangs allegedly lured police and other emergency responders near a vehicle packed with explosives by dropping a wounded man dressed as a police officer near the car, Juárez Mayor José Reyes Ferriz said after the attack. As police and other emergency officials arrived to assist the wounded man, the bomb was detonated remotely. This week, Mexican President Felipe Calderón appealed for the entire country's help. "This is not just a job for the federal government, much less just for the president," he said Tuesday. "Citizens, of course, cannot face the criminals by themselves, but we ask for their support and understanding to continue this fight." Kumar said the cartels have steadily increased their use of explosives, a mix of military ordnance and homemade grenades, in the past two years. The emergence of explosives in cartel battles, he said, prompted the Mexican government to create a team to examine the phenomenon. Its work has expanded as the use of explosives has increased. "I think we have to expect ... these types of car bombs," Kumar said. In a bulletin issued to state and local law enforcement officials in the United States, Department of Homeland Security analysts said the attack — "within walking distance" of the U.S. border — highlighted "the potential for American casualties if similar attacks are conducted in the future." The Juárez Cartel, which has claimed responsibility for the bombing, and the Sinaloa Cartel are responsible for much of the fighting. "There is no indication either cartel will target U.S. law enforcement personnel," the July 17 bulletin states. "There is potential, however, for collateral injury to U.S. persons in Mexico and along the border regions as violence escalates," the bulletin says. Contributing: Chris Hawley from Mexico City Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more