Marriott Hotel Bomb Blast: The attackers belonged to the Al-Badar, the Harkat-e-Jehad-e-Islami and the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi - Jihadi -Terrorist alliance

Mastermind of Marriott Hotel bombing escapes

Monday, November 17, 2008 (the News)
By Tariq Butt

ISLAMABAD: The Peshawar-based alleged mastermind of the Marriott Hotel blast has fled to the tribal areas and is untraceable for the time being, a senior investigator told The News. The investigator, while withholding the mastermind's name, said that it would take time to arrest him.

“We are after the mastermind but because of the complex situation in the tribal areas, we may not arrest him as early as we expect.” The investigation team, led by FIA Director General Tariq Pervez, has already arrested a doctor of a leading private hospital in the federal capital, who had allegedly played a major part in the attack.

The attackers belonged to the Al-Badar, the Harkat-e-Jehad-e-Islami and the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, and that the authorities did not find any evidence of the involvement of al-Qaeda or the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan in the attack.

The investigators have arrested the accomplices, including the facilitators of the main accused. Sources said that the government would reveal the full facts of the case after the investigation was completed. They said they had detected the accused behind the bombing just a few days after it took place.

Meanwhile, he said: “We have solved the Marriott Hotel bombing case and it is a great breakthrough.” He said all evidences of the terrorist bombing led to South Waziristan via Jhang. The truck that was rammed into the hotel was also from Jhang. (Daily The News)

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=147225

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Editorial: Daily Times

The interior ministry tells us that it has cracked the Marriott Hotel blast case although its mastermind has escaped from Peshawar into South Waziristan. It says a doctor working in an Islamabad hospital was also involved, who along with some others, is in custody. What it says next is a bit of a puzzle.

We are told that that the people involved in the Marriott blast belong to old jihadi organisations, Harkat Jihad-e-Islami, Al Badr and Lashkar-Jhangvi, and that “all routes lead to South Waziristan via Jhang; the truck that rammed into the hotel also came from Jhang”. In the next breath, however, we are informed that “there is no evidence that these jihadi militias are involved with Tehreek-e-Taliban or Al Qaeda”. But the fact is that all three outfits have old contacts with the above organisations going back to Kabul when the Taliban ruled there. So it is puzzling in the extreme how the mastermind of the Marriott blast can have escaped to South Waziristan without any contacts there. (Daily Times, Editorial, 18 Nov 08)

http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\11\18\story_18-11-2008_pg3_1

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Al Qaeda-linked suspects emerge in Islamabad Marriott attacks

By Bill Roggio
September 25, 2008 12:10 PM


Qari Mohammad Zafar, a leader of the Laskhar-e-Jhangvi who is thought to be behind the Marriott bombings. Photo from AKI

Two senior al Qaeda and Taliban-linked Pakistani terrorists are suspected of being behind the Sept. 20 bombing at the Marriott hotel in Islamabad. The deadly attack killed more than 50 Pakistanis and foreigners and wounded more than 270, and destroyed the once-popular hotel.

In recent press reports, Qari Saifullah Akhtar, the leader of the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami, and Qari Mohammad Zafar, a leader of the Laskhar-e-Jhangvi, have both been implicated as being the mastermind of the Marriott bombing. Both men have extensive ties to al Qaeda and the Taliban, and have been in Pakistani custody until recently.

Akhtar is believed to be behind the attacks because "the method of the bombing and the nature of explosives resemble four previous vehicle bomb attacks, carried out by suicide bombers [from the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami] in Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi" earlier this year, The News reported. Several of the bombing are thought to have been conducted to secure the release of Akhtar, who was in Pakistani custody at the time.

Zafar has been implicated by Pakistani intelligence after some of his operatives were detained in Punjab and interrogated. The connection to Zafar was established from phone numbers found on the mobiles of some of those arrested in Punjab,” Adnkronos International reported. "Zafar is behind the planning, arrangement of transportation and procurement of explosives for the attack against the Marriott Hotel on 20 September," an anonymous security official told the news service.

US intelligence believes both Akhtar and Zafar are involved in the operation. "Akhtar is the operational leader while Zafar is the tactical commander," a senior US military intelligence source told The Long War Journal on the condition of anonymity. "We believe Akhtar chose the target and provided the expertise for the bomb, while Zafar provided the muscle" to carry out the operation. US intelligence considers both men to be dangerous and effective leaders.

Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and other Pakistani terror groups have used the Laskhar-e-Jhangvi to execute operations inside Pakistan for years, the source stated. "Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami, Laskhar-e-Jhangvi, and other Pakistani terror groups merged with al Qaeda years ago," the source stated.

Qari Saifullah Akhtar, and the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami

Qari Saifullah Akhtar and the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HUJI or the Movement of Islamic Holy War) have worked with the Taliban and al Qaeda for more than a decade. In 2002, The Friday Times described the HUJI as "the biggest militia we know nothing about."

HUJI was formed Islamist extremists inside Pakistan’s Punjab province the early 1980s to help battle the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. After the defeat of the Soviets in 1989, HUJI turned its focus on fighting the Indian Army inside Jammu and Kashmir. The group maintained camps throughout Pakistan. The largest, in Kotli in Azad Kashmir, had "a capacity for training 800 warriors." As of 2002, more than 650 HUJI fighters were killed fighting the Indian Army.

Like many Pakistani-based jihadi groups fighting in Kashmir, the HUJI received support from Pakistan’s military and the Inter-Services Intelligence. The group has officed in more than 40 locations inside Pakistan and maintained "organized seminaries in Karachi, and Chechnya, [Xinxiang], Uzbekistan and Tajikistan." Its members have participated in attacks and fighting in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Chechnya, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. The Bangladeshi branch of HUJI was one of the original signatories of Osama bin Laden’s 1998 fatwa against the West. This fatwa, or religious ruling established the International Islamic Front for Jihad against the Jews and Crusaders and officially incorporated various Islamic terror groups such as Ayman al Zawahiri’s Egyptian Islamic Jihad.

Akhtar took control of the HUJI after the group's leader was killed fighting the Soviets in 1985. He expanded HUJI's infrastructure throughout Pakistan and in Afghanistan. Akhtar largely stayed off the radar until he emerged as being part of a plot to overthrow the Pakistani government in 1995, when he was implicated along with Major General Zahirul Islam Abbasi and three other senior officers in an attempt to assassinate senior military leaders during a Corps Commanders Conference at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. Charges against Akhtar were dismissed after he testified against his conspirators. Abbasi was released from detention after President Musharraf took power in a coup in 1999.

The Pakistani government released Akhtar in 1996 and promptly fled to Afghanistan, where he became a close confidant and adviser to Taliban leader Mullah Omar. Three members in the Taliban's cabinet and 22 judges were members of HUJI. The group was affectionately called the "Punjabi Taliban." Akhtar is also described as a "crucial figure" in the efforts to unite Mullah Omar and Osama bin Laden.

HUJI established training camps in Kandahar, Kabul, and Khost. Taliban military and police forces were also trained at HUJI camps. HUJI became a critical force in the Taliban’s efforts to consolidate power in Afghanistan in the 1990s. More than 300 HUJI fighters were killed fighting against the Northern Alliance. HUJI also used its bases in Afghanistan to conduct operations in Chechnya, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.

Akhtar accompanied Mullah Omar as he fled the US onslaught during Operation Enduring Freedom after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Akhtar took shelter in South Waziristan, where he was born, and established links with Baitullah Mehsud. Omar moved his operations to Quetta in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province.

After being implicated in two assassination attempts of Pervez Musharraf in December 2003, Akhtar fled to Saudi Arabia and then finally took refuge in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE arrested Akhtar in August 2004 and deported him to Pakistan, where he was held for more than two years without trial. The Pakistani security services released Akhtar in May 2007 after the Supreme Court began inquiring on a number of missing persons.

Pakistani security forces detained Akhtar once again in February 2008 after he was implicated in several bombings, the most prominent being the October suicide attack in Karachi that aimed to assassinate former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto as she returned from exile to begin her political campaign.

Bhutto, who was later assassinated in an attack in Rawalpindi in December 2007, implicated Akhtar in her posthumously released book. "I was informed of a meeting that had taken place in Lahore where the bomb blasts were planned. However, a bomb maker was needed for the bombs," Bhutto wrote. "Enter Qari Saifullah Akhtar, a wanted jihadi terrorist who had tried to overthrow my second government in the 1990s. He had been extradited by the United Arab Emirates and was languishing in the Karachi central jail. According to my sources, the officials in Lahore had turned to Qari for help. His liaison with elements in the government was a radical who was asked to make the bombs and he himself asked for a fatwa making it legitimate to oblige. He got one."

The Pakistani government released Akhtar from jail on bail in June 2008 after claiming insufficient evidence existed to link him to recent attacks.

Qari Mohammad Zafar and the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi

The Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ or Army of Jhangvi) was formed in 1996 after splitting with the Sipah-e-Sahaba, a radical Sunni group behind sectarian attacks against Shia throughout Pakistan. The Lashkar-e-Jhangvi expanded its activity to include terror attacks against the Pakistani state. After Sept. 11, 2001, LeJ was one of two Pakistani terror groups banned by the Musharraf regime.

The size of the LeJ is unknown, but it is believed to have hundreds of members dispersed in small cells throughout Pakistan. The group maintains camps in South Waziristan, under the protection of Baitullah Mehsud.

Pakistani police began to openly admit the LeJ began forging close ties with al Qaeda and the Taliban after a string of attacks during the winter and spring of 2006. The most high-profile attack was the March 3 bombing outside the US Consulate in Karachi. A US diplomat was killed in the suicide car bombing.

LeJ foot soldiers carried out the attack, while the bomb was assembled in Abdullah Mehsud's territory near Wana in South Waziristan. "Police have come to the conclusion that terrorist groups with different priorities have ganged up," Daily Times wrote in 2006. "They are specifically worried about the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Al Qaeda and the Abdullah Mehsud-led group of Afghanistan." Abdullah Mehsud was a Waziri tribesman who was based in South Waziristan and killed by Pakistani forces in Zhob in 2007.

Baitullah Mehsud, Abdullah's cousin and the leader of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, is known to have absorbed elements of the LeJ in Karachi and placed them under the command of a leader named Raheemullah.

Qari Mohammad Zafar is wanted by the US government for the Karachi Consulate bombing. "Zafar is suspected of being a key figure involved with this attack," the Rewards for Justice website states. A $5 million reward has been offered for information leading the capture of Zafar.

Zafar escaped from Pakistani custody in 2007 and is known to shelter in South Waziristan.

(The Long War Journal, http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2008/09/al_qaeda-linked_suspects_emerge_in_islamabad_marriott_attacks.php)
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Ansar Abbasi: The Marriott Hotel bombing, evidence of yellow journalism and support for Mullahs and the Taliban...

Charges of irresponsible journalism: Sympathies with Taliban

In the aftermath of the Marriott Hotel Bombing, Abbasi was criticized by various members of Pakistani society, for his, what was termed as "deflective" jornalism. For example, in its editorial on 22 September 2008, Daily Times wrote that:

"Regrettably, there was some “deflective” journalism in evidence soon enough. One commentator said President Zardari should go to the US, stare President Bush in the eye and challenge him. Another seriously wondered if the blast might actually have been caused by “foreign” powers, a reference that could embrace anyone from India, Afghanistan, Israel and Russia to the United States. One journalist alleged that the Marriott was a target because some American Marines had secretly holed out there during Admiral Mike Mullen’s visit to Islamabad last week....It is amazing how these people are deceiving themselves and the people of Pakistan by not calling a spade a spade —Al Qaedi did it — because of their anti-Americanism, however justified that may be.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\09\22\story_22-9-2008_pg3_1

In his op-ed in Urdu Daily Jang on 17 October 2008, senior columnist Haroon-ur-Rashid wrote that (translation): "It is more than three months ago that I had asked Ansar Abbasi and Rauf Klasra to use their pen as a pen not as a sword. I had also asked them to refrain from 'bitterness' in their reports."[6]

http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/oct2008-daily/17-10-2008/col4.htm

Similarly,in his op-ed in Daily Jang on 11 October 2008, senior columnist Nazir Naji criticized (without naming) those journalists whose investigations suggest that actually Americans are the real target of terrorists. In Nazir Naji's words (translation, para 1, line 1): Those journalists who usually claim that Americans are the real target of terrorist activities in Pakistan, are they on leave now a days?" Naji noted that such pro-Taliban journalists did not care to explain that the Taliban have a long history of killing innocent people, irrespective of their religion, race or ethnicity. For example, such journalists did not mention that not a single US soldier was killed in the Bhakkar bombing, or in the attack on a hospital in D.I.Khan, or in the attack on Asfandyar Wali Khan, and similar other acts of terror in Pakistan.

http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/oct2008-daily/11-10-2008/col8.htm

Double-cross role in the Lawyers movement for the restoration of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry

Ansar Abbasi is also known to be an active supporter of the ex-Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. However, in his op-ed in Daily Express on 24 October 2008, Abbas Ather exposed Ansar Abbasi, stating that actually it was Ansar Abbasi who released the first media report against the so-called corruption of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. As a result, it was widely reported in national and international media that there is a link to the Chief Justice being suspended and the appointment of his son, Dr. Arsalan Iftikhar Chaudhry, as Additional Superintendent of Police after numerous amendments to the Police Service of Pakistan rules and the fact that he had twice flunked the Central Superior Services (CSS) exam that is required for that level of position.

http://www.emagine-group.com/behindthechairmansdoor/2007/03/21/an-aside-on-the-judicial-crisis-in-pakistan/

Abbas Ather also noted that it was Ansar Abbasi who played a role in creating misunderstanding between the Chief Justice and the newly elected government of the Pakistan Peoples Party. For example, Ansar Abbasi in a news item revealed that immediately after his restoration, Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary would suspend the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), thus effectively putting Asif Zardari and other leaders of PPP behind bars.

http://letusbuildpakistan.blogspot.com/2008/10/abbas-ather-exposes-ansar-abbasi.html

Rumour Mongering

June 20th, 2008

Experienced reporters know they can get way with writing anything so long as they bury it deep in their story. Lazy editors only scan the beginning of a report and proof-readers are only looking for grammatical errors. Ansar Abbasi of The News is a master at getting in unfounded rumours and frankly libelous statements into his stories. So he starts his report (appended below) with the supposedly newsworthy peg that Tariq Aziz is sticking by Musharraf. He then launches into a rambling history of Aziz’s relationship with the president. All this is done for the sole purpose of sticking in this nugget at the end of his story:

“He is interested in horse races too but last year’s mess has considerably diverted his attention from this too. Interestingly, he considers betting on horse races Islamic.”

COMMENT:

Anonymous said...

Then there's Abbasi's sermonising "commentary" pieces. Do you remember reading one last year about how his child wasn't allowed to participate in some competition (hazy on the details) because his parents (Abbasi and wife) are "religious". Something to that affect, written in a hysterical style that is classic Abbasi. Why he can get away with stuff like that is beyond me.


http://fiverupees.blogspot.com/2008/06/rumour-mongering.html

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Musharraf’s friend not ready to abandon him in last race
Saturday, June 07, 2008
By Ansar Abbasi (The News)

ISLAMABAD: Tariq Aziz is not prepared to abandon his college friend, beleaguered President Musharraf, at a time when the retired general is having the worst crisis of his post military career.

Aziz, the man who engineered the major political moves for Musharraf during the last eight years and continues to do so even now, is media shy but he does open his heart at least before his friends and acquaintances.

Generally seen as a detested henchman of Musharraf, Aziz's perception is however different for those who claim to be close to him. He asks his acquaintances why he should leave the president when all the courtiers have left him, though he does not agree with the retired general at times.

Many think that for him his friendship with Musharraf, once the most powerful person in Pakistan but today the most unpopular, is more important than the greater interests of this country and the people.

His critics, whose number is high, see him siding with the adamant president, who does not want to leave the stage despite a clear mandate given by the people against him in the Feb elections. However, he believes it would be immoral on his part to leave the retired general when he is vulnerable.

He has a lot of undisclosed things to share. And he has his own justifications and reasons for all that has been associated with him. One of Aziz's acquaintances, whose word is credible, says that Tariq Aziz was recently asked by him if he did not think that Musharraf should quit for the political stability of the country. Aziz responded, as quoted by the source, "What do you think, I don't tell him what is in his best interest and in the interest of the people?"

Aziz dispels the impression that the president always adheres to his advice. "I might have given 10,000 advices but the president would have paid attention to only a 100 or a 150," the source quoted the man, who during the last eight years has been seen as the kingmaker, saying.

His friends claim that Tariq Aziz was opposed to Musharraf's referendum. He was not consulted on the March 9, 2007 misadventure. He was opposed to the Nov 3 second coup. But despite his opposition to such moves, he practically only does what he is assigned to, no matter even if it goes against his convictions.

"I wanted to leave the president's team in 2000, I also requested General Musharraf to let me go but it never happened," a friend of Aziz told this correspondent and claimed that the other day he was shown by Aziz a letter written to this top aide of Musharraf by his father in 2000, asking him not to leave the president.

Friends of Aziz claim that he has been given tough time by fellow generals of Musharraf during the early years of his coup but the top general continued to value his friendship. Tariq Aziz has been offered quite a few lucrative posts, including that of governor Punjab, but he was more comfortable in backdoor wheeling dealing.He, however, really feels uncomfortable when termed as a kingmaker or the agent of the Chaudhrys of Gujrat.

Another acquaintance of Aziz recalled him saying a few years back, "I used the Chaudhrys' political clout for Musharraf's political gains." The source claimed that Aziz also admitted that the Pakistan Muslim League-Q was created as the third political force to ensure that Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto stayed out of power.

All politicians and political analysts who have been meeting the president after his October 12, 1999 military takeover, were telling him that creating the third political force would be an arduous task if not an impossible mission. But Aziz, the source said, promised to do the miracle for Musharraf and to ensure that the general's economic and reforms agenda would continue.

He was looking for a resourceful, well-connected and influential political family that could match the Sharifs and the Bhuttos if given the establishment's support. The Chaudhrys of Gujrat, who also happen to be old friends of Aziz, were the suitable choice. Aziz convinced the president to bet on the Chaudhrys. He approached them and they hesitatingly agreed to play the set game of politics.

Tariq Aziz was assigned by Musharraf to deal with political matters on his behalf. He started visiting all parts of the country but concentrated on the Punjab to win maximum number of political leaders for the PML-Q.

His magic worked in the 2002 elections but not in 2008. In 2002, the president and his men were sure of the Kings Party's victory and so was their calculation about the 2008 elections. But the return of Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif turned things topsy-turvy for the manipulators, including Tariq Aziz.

It was Tariq Aziz's old association with Rehman Malik that paved the way for the return of Benazir Bhutto after her deal with Musharraf in 2007, the latter events that unfolded were simply out of the presidency's control.

In the changed scenario after the Feb elections, Tariq Aziz was facing a much greater challenge of making a coalition between the PPP and the PML-Q but it did not happen. This situation left the Chaudhrys of Gujrat irrelevant for the president and Aziz, at least politically if not otherwise.

Tariq Aziz, according to these friends, also played a pivotal role in convincing the president before the 2002 elections to give the MQM a room to stage a comeback in the country's mainstream politics.

But now for once the relaxed Aziz is said to be really fed up with the extremely-hectic routine of the last few years and particularly what has been shaking the presidency after March 9, 2007.

He is not so regular, as he used to be in the past, in playing bridge with his friends in the Islamabad Club. He is interested in horse races too but last year's mess has considerably diverted his attention from this too. Interestingly, he considers betting on horse races Islamic.
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Realities of Pakistan's woes not apparent to all

THE RECENT bombing of the Marriott Hotel in the heart of the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, underscores the menace of religious fanaticism that now threatens Pakistan also. When the air cleared, 70 people lay dead and close to 300 wounded. The incident sent shock waves through not only Pakistan and Afghanistan, but also through the power corridors of Washington.

Afghanistan is a quagmire, and a decisive military victory in that country is not possible. Pakistan has been accused of not doing enough to curb al-Qaeda and the Taliban operating from the sanctuaries in its tribal areas and thus being indirectly responsible for the failure in Afghanistan.

In reality there are four different wars being waged from the tribal areas of Pakistan. There is the war against the occupation forces in Afghanistan. There is a war against the Pakistani government and the Pakistani army. There is a war, supported by elements in the Pakistani army, to contain Indian influence in Afghanistan. And now the war has spilled over and is being waged against the common man in Pakistan who does not subscribe to al-Qaeda and the Taliban brand of Islam.

U.S. lawmakers have been, for the last few years, very critical of Pakistan and have questioned the wisdom of giving Pakistan $10 billion over the last six years while not having much in return to show for it. This simplistic money-for-action equation, however, is nave at best and hypocritical at worst. Let us step back and examine on-the-ground realities that may be different from what appears from Washington and even from Islamabad.

The situation in the tribal areas of Pakistan, complex as it is, can be pared down to three important interlocking elements.

First, there is a pervasive anti-American feeling among Pakistanis, just as there is elsewhere in the world. These sentiments cut across all segments of society. There is also a pervasive feeling that the war on terror is in fact a war against Islam. These sentiments have hardened since my three-part report published in The Blade in May, 2005, on the subject.

Second, the shouts of jihad against the occupation forces in Afghanistan aside, most Pakistanis are religious, but not militant or fanatics. As such, they are no different from, say, observant Christians, Jews, or followers of other religions.

The pivotal piece in this equation is the fact that the ouster of foreign forces from Afghanistan is not the ultimate aim of al-Qaeda and the Taliban. The aim is to control Pakistan and establish a Taliban-style government in the country. That end point, in their limited worldview, would solve all their socio-economic ills.

So why can't the majority of Pakistanis see through this charade and realize that in the long run they stand to lose not only their moderate to liberal way of life but their country as well? I am sure the experts in the White House and the Pentagon continue to mull this critical question.

The answer lies in the peculiar mind-set that believes that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. The deep resentment felt toward American foreign policy and its effects on the people in the Middle East and South Asia is enough for ordinary people to withhold criticism of al-Qaeda and the Taliban even though they disagree with their harsh and uncompromising interpretation of religion.

For the people of Pakistan in general and for those Pakistanis living along the northwest frontier in particular, the al-Qaeda-Taliban fight against the occupation forces in Afghanistan is not their fight.

Since al-Qaeda and the Taliban have framed this fight in religious terms and exploited the prevailing anti-American sentiments in Pakistan, the attitude of most Pakistanis can be explained by the German word schadenfreude, which means taking pleasure in the misery of others.

But the recent foray of the Taliban into the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan is making them think twice about the enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-
friend mind-set.

The enemy of my enemy also proves to be my enemy when he indiscriminately bombs civilians, orders the closing of girls' schools, forbids barbers to shave beards, and forbids women to venture outside their homes.

This is happening in the Swat Valley in the north and in many other districts of the province. In Peshawar, the provincial capital, their activities are limited to forcing the closing of video and music shops.

The writing is clearly on the wall.

Dr. S. Amjad Hussain is a Toledo surgeon whose column appears every other week in The Blade.
» E-mail him at aghaji@buckeye-express.com
» Read more Dr. Hussain columns at www.toledoblade.com/hussain
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Abbas Ather exposes Ansar Abbasi, the notorious agent of the forces of darkness, the real enemy of Chief Justice and democracy.

In his op-ed in Daily Express, Abbas Ather exposes Ansar Abbasi, the notorious agent of the forces of darkness (i.e. the unholy nexus of Jamaat-e-Islami, ISI, and jihadi and sectarian organizations in Pakistan).

It was Ansar Abbasi who released the first media report against the so-called corruption of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. As a result, it was widely reported in national and international media that there is a link to the Chief Justice being suspended and the appointment of his son, Dr. Arsalan Iftikhar Chaudhry, as Additional Superintendent of Police after numerous amendments to the Police Service of Pakistan rules and the fact that he had twice flunked the Central Superior Services (CSS) exam that is required for that level of position.

http://www.emagine-group.com/behindthechairmansdoor/2007/03/21/an-aside-on-the-judicial-crisis-in-pakistan/

Ansar Abbasi also played a very cunning and hypocritical role by creating misunderstanding between the Chief Justice and the newly elected government of the Pakistan Peoples Party. For example, Ansar Abbasi in a news item revealed that the immediately after his restoration, Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary would suspend the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), thus effectively putting Asif Zardari and other leaders of PPP behind bars.

Ansar Abbasi is the same notorious journalist who recently tried to justify the terrorist attack on the Islamabad Marriott Hotel by 'revealing' that the Hotel was a secret station of American marines, and hence the act of terrorism was justified against that target.

Shame on you Ansar Abbasi. You are Ghaddar (traitor) Abbasi.



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Hamid Mir, the media face of Taliban suggests that Pakistan is facing terrorism because Mullah Abdul Aziz of Lal Masjid was shown in Burqa on PTV

In his op-ed in Daily Jang, Hamid Mir, the media face of Taliban suggests that Pakistan is facing terrorism (suicide bombings etc) because Mullah Abdul Aziz of Lal Masjid was shown in Burqa on Pakistan Television. What a fool is this Mr Hamid Mir and also any one who believes his cover up stories...


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Ansar Abbasi, the notorious Taliban supporter, how many American soldiers were killed in Bhakkar bombing?

Ansar Abbasi, the notorious Taliban supporter, tried to justify the terrorist attacks on Islamabad Marriott by writing a pack of lies that there were many American marines in the hotel who were busy in some secret operations, and that's why the hotel was attacked. The bloody Abbasi (and his supporter Kashif Abbasi) must be asked how many US soldiers were killed in the Bhakkar bombing, or in the attack on a hospital in D.I.Khan, or in the attack on Asfandyar Wali Khan, and so on and so forth.

Enough is enough. It is time that these shameless supporters of Taliban must be arrested according to Pakistan's National Security Act, and they must be trialled in an open court.

Read Nazir Naji's column today:



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Taliban's FM Radio "Intolerance 101" - By Tariq Aqil

Tuesday, September 30, 2008
by Tariq Aqil

The month of September witnessed the brutal and senseless murder of three Ahmedis in Pakistan. This gruesome tragedy happened in the aftermath of a popular TV programme in which Ahmedis were blamed for everything under the sun. It appears as if some of our TV channels have been taken over by the dark and sinister forces of obscurantism. All non-Muslims and those who dare to stand up to the forces of religious fanaticism are declared infidels and worthy only of death.

Despite the carnage at the Marriott in Islamabad, and many other similar incidents before it, much of the educated elite of the country still believes in the fallacy that 'Muslims cannot do such a thing'. Regrettably, large sections of the media also refuse to accept this ground reality and mimic the same line. This is accompanied with America-bashing – virtually every suicide bombing, atrocity, every senseless killing is blamed on America, India, and the CIA. Another all-time whipping boy is the Jewish lobby or the 'Yahood-o- Nasara' meaning Jews and Christians. We seem to blame everyone including Charlie's aunt except our own homegrown obscurantist religious bigots. We are so blinded by our religious intolerance and hatred of Western nations that our vision is now limited to the tip of our nose. If we do not wake up from our deep slumber of ignorance the country is very likely to tear apart at the seams.

After the creation of Pakistan, religion became politicized. Most religious parties became political outfits that used the name of Islam and exploited religion for their own political objectives. Religious scholars, clerics, pirs, and sajjada nashins became politicians or stooges of politicians and the phenomenon of 'mullahism' was born. Illiterate, narrow-minded clerics became willing tools in the hands of greedy and corrupt politicians. The rise of the mullah, in Pakistan and in other parts of the world, is a direct cause of sectarianism and religious intolerance – creating sectarian schisms and conflict in not only Pakistan but India, Sudan, Egypt, Nigeria, Jordan and Iraq.

The Taliban in Pakistan are a recent phenomenon hell-bent on taking us back to the Dark Ages. They have complete disregard for human life, human rights or even human values. Dozens of girls' schools have been torched or dynamited in Swat and FATA, men have been forced to sport beards and music and CD shops have been bombed. Many schools in Islamabad have also received threats and warnings from these so called champions of Islam. Imagine the state of affairs in the country if these mindless religious fanatics take control of the state.

Many of our political leaders and intellectuals argue that terrorism in Pakistan is a direct result of Pakistan's support to the US in their war on terror after the happenings of 9/11. They fail to recognize the simple fact that the roots of terrorism lie deep within Pakistan and its chequered past. The terrorism we face today is a direct offshoot of sectarian violence and religious killings of the past. Who created the Sipah-e-Sahaba or the Jaish-e-Mohammad? These extremist militant groups were founded well before 9/11 or even before the birth of the Taliban in Afghanistan. And the fact also is that they were founded, nurtured and led by Pakistanis and not by the 'Yahood-o-Nasara'. Also, take a look at the case of Harakat-ul-Ansar or Harakat-ul-Mujahideen. Who founded, supported and financed these groups? Today we have Swat's Maulana Fazalullah spitting fire and brimstone from his electronic pulpit, an FM radio station, spreading hatred and venom across the beautiful valley. All these gentlemen are Pakistani Muslims up in arms against the state of Pakistan.

The founders and leaders of our home grown religious extremist groups did not spring up overnight. They were educated, nurtured, trained and finally launched by the numerous madressahs which have mushroomed all over the country. There is a clear co-relation between the rapid growth of madressahs and intolerance and extremism. Some of the madressahs which have been established by semi-literate mullahs are spreading intolerance and helping produce today's and tomorrow's suicide bombers. Such madressahs have played a pivotal role in creating the hardcore terrorists of today.

These madressahs function without any supervisory body and their syllabus is based on a doctrine of intolerance and rigid obscurantism. In their worldview women who do not wear a veil and men without beards are all kafirs. Listening to music or watching TV or movies is forbidden, and the only way to reform society and those who live in it are imposition of Sharia, by force if necessary. They also teach that suicide bombing is okay if done against infidels and that those who die as suicide bombers will find a place in Paradise. It is this teaching and preaching that has resulted in the dozens of suicide attacks that have taken place inside Pakistan and have killed women leaders such as Benazir Bhutto and provincial minister Zille Huma (killed by a self-professed fanatic in Gujranwala). The Lal Masjid fiasco is too recent to forget but let us not forget it was the maulanas of the mosque who motivated their students to occupy government property illegally, destroy video shops and kidnap citizens.

The Taliban have succeeded in creating an atmosphere of fear and horror. The Taliban philosophy has destroyed the ideals and beliefs of a free society. According to them, freedom of thought and expression is not needed at all and anybody who dares to disagree with them is butchered. The image of the country has suffered irreparable harm the name of our religion has been defamed by the acts of these barbarians. This scourge is not confined to the tribal areas only and is slowly but surely creeping towards the settled urban areas of the frontier, Punjab and Sindh. The choice before us is pretty simple: face this menace and defeat it or hand over the country to these obscurantist forces. (The News)


The writer is a teacher and freelance writer. Email: taqil17@hotmail.com
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Crimes of Fasadis (worngly known as Fasadis) done in the name of Islam.... Abbas Ather

Imran Khan, Hamid Gul, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Ansar Abbasi, Irfan Siddiqi, Kashif Abbasi, and Hamid Mir say: Terrorist activities against innocent Pakistanis are a reaction against the US policies. Shame on terrorists and their supporters.


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War on terror & India’s stake

By Kuldip Nayar

THE burning of Islamabad’s Marriott hotel that Indian channels showed at length is still etched in the memory of horrified people. They are worried about Pakistan. Even the hawks do not conceal their anxiety.

The intelligentsia’s concern is that the nascent democratic government in Islamabad might not be able to cope with the likes of the Al Qaeda and Taliban and might have to depend on the military which would want its price.

People do not know how far the Al Qaeda-Taliban combine has penetrated Pakistan. But the belief is that the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and, to a large extent, the NWFP province, is under the control of the Taliban. Were they to ‘capture’ more territory, what would be its effect on India is the greatest worry. President Asif Ali Zardari’s remark that “the Taliban have an upper hand” is all the more unnerving. America agrees with him.

A Pakistani television commentator has challenged Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to travel from Kohat to Bannu. The commentator’s contention is that the Pakistan government had already “withdrawn” from this area. If this is true, there is some truth in the repeated allegation that former President Pervez Musharraf, even while in uniform, was never serious about curbing Al Qaeda and the Taliban. He found it an effective way to milch America. That he connived at the intervention of the US troops on Pakistani soil is an open secret.

In contrast, Zardari’s statement or that of army chief Gen Kayani that Pakistan’s sovereignty would not be allowed to be trifled with has come as a welcome surprise. Islamabad is defending its territory and there are signs of it when its guns drove away American helicopters the other day. Pakistan is careful not to engage the superpower but whatever Islamabad is doing to keep its dignity intact needs to be commended.

I do not think that the Al Qaeda-Taliban combine is seeking territory in Pakistan. They want the northern areas which would help them to recapture Afghanistan which was under their rule until they were pushed out by nationalist Afghan forces with the help of America.

In fact, the US is responsible for the birth of the Taliban. During the Cold War when Washington wanted to bleed Moscow to death, America trained and armed fundamentalists to oust the irreligious Soviet Union from Afghanistan. America won the Cold War when the Soviet Union collapsed under the weight of what happened to it in Afghanistan. Those fundamentalists are today’s Taliban and they have the weapons which were liberally provided by America.

Indian civil society does realise that Al Qaeda’s progress in Pakistan is a danger. Already the presence of Al Qaeda has been reported in Kerala, India’s southern-most state, and in Kashmir, the northern-most part. An intelligence agency has linked the recent bomb blasts in the country to the outfit.

What is not probably appreciated amply is that Pakistan’s war against the Taliban is India’s war too. If ever Pakistan goes under, India’s first line of defence would collapse. The Taliban would have secured the launching pad to attack India’s values of democracy and liberalism which do not fit into their scheme of things. These are the same Taliban who destroyed the Buddha statues at Bamiyan despite the appeal of the entire civilised world.

Terrorism is the means, and a ‘Talibanistan’ is the end. New Delhi and Islamabad should jointly fight against the menace. The two had decided at one time to set up a joint mechanism to fight terror. There is still nothing on the ground. Some joint action should have been visible after the blasts in Delhi and Islamabad. Mutual suspicions are so strong that they cannot override them even when the enemy is at work from within. One hopes that the New York meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Zardari will change the scenario as both are keen on normalising relations.

Making peace with the militants or having a ceasefire, as proposed by certain influential quarters in Pakistan, may stall the Taliban but not defeat them. Terrorism is a cancer as Zardari has diagnosed correctly, and it must be eliminated. The villain of the piece is Musharraf who said he was fighting against the Taliban when he was conniving at their penetration. He should be put on the mat for having aggravated the situation. His plan to have them in Afghanistan to gain ‘strategic depth’ for Pakistan started the whole thing.

There is a lesson for New Delhi which is a sad picture of inaction and ineptness when assessed in terms of action taken against communal forces. Law and order has always been a state subject. Still the centre’s response has been lukewarm. It sent to Orissa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala a piece of advice on the lines of Article 355 which enjoins upon the Union to protect states against external aggression and internal disturbance. Had New Delhi’s order gone under Article 355 itself, the Bajrang Dal, a SIMI among Hindus, would not have openly butchered Christians and burnt churches. Surprisingly, there is no ban on the Bajrang Dal. New Delhi has done well to reject the demand of the Bharatiya Janata Party for bringing back the Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act which authorised the state to detain people for months without trial. It was used against the Naxalites and Muslims mercilessly. In this atmosphere, the Muslims would have been the target.

Terrorism, no doubt, leaves death and destruction in its wake. But the most fearsome fallout is that the confidence of the people is shaken. Governments can see, after every event, the gaps in their intelligence and other apparatus and promise to do better. But the impact of the incidents may well be irreparable because certain communities feel alienated.

This is what has happened after the encounter at Zakir Bagh in Delhi where two terrorists and one police inspector were killed. The debate over the veracity of the ‘encounter’ is still raging. The locality believes it was stage-managed. Why such a feeling arises is because of the credibility gap between the people and the authorities.

The matter is much more serious: Muslims and Christians have lost faith in the fairness of the state. This will be hard to restore if the secular forces do not assert themselves and retrieve Muslims, Christians and, more so, the Hindus from the bias and prejudice in which many are stuck.

Meanwhile, a survey conducted by a television network in four big cities — Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai — has shown that 67 per cent of the people feel insecure. They are haunted by the fear that they do not know what would happen to them if they were to step out of their homes. This is, indeed, a sad reflection on the central and state governments.

The writer is a leading journalist based in Delhi. (Dawn)
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Militants in the tribal areas of the NWFP have established firm networking (with jihadi groups) in southern Punjab

An unknown terrorist outfit calling itself Fidayeen-e Islam has telephoned the Dubai-based Al Arabiya TV office in Islamabad to claim responsibility for the attack on the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad on Saturday. The phone call was made from within Pakistan but not from Islamabad. But that doesn’t mean that Islamabad is free of terrorists and that the dumper truck that brought a ton of explosives to the Marriott came from any distant place. The killers are very much within us.

The investigators have lost no time in concluding that the explosives were brought piece-meal into Islamabad and then loaded onto the truck inside the residential area. The truck was not sent from the Tribal Areas where masked Indian agents may have loaded it with RDX “because Pakistan is free of such quantities of lethal material”. In fact, the truth is that Pakistan is full of lethal material and Islamabad is the centre of the ideology of Al Qaeda; and its exponents include people inside the organs of the state.

The governor of the NWFP, Mr Owais Ghani, visited Lahore on Monday and briefed a gathering of senior media persons about the state of terrorism in the country. He argued that Pakistan should counter the so-called Islamist ideology of the terrorists with the ideology of Pakistan as a bastion of Islam, by which he did not mean the ideology of India’s RAW but the ideology posited by Al Qaeda and followed by the Taliban and the jihadi militias once sponsored by the Pakistan state. But the problem is not as simple as that. Alas, this ideology of radical Islamists is also partly the propagated ideology of Pakistan, with a vast difference of interpretation. We have problems of deciding what terrorism means, whether jihad is to be practised by the state or by non-state actors, and whether suicide-bombing is illegal, because we share part of the Islamist basis of Al Qaeda’s case-making. So it might be a better idea to expose Al Qaeda’s Islamist ideology with a truer and more genuine expression of Islam in general rather than its particular self-serving national security version as espoused by the Pakistani state that is partly responsible for spawning it in the first place.

Governor Ghani also revealed a fact that most of Punjabis will deny. He said: “Militants in the tribal areas of the NWFP have established firm networking (with jihadi groups) in southern Punjab and most fresh recruits for suicide attacks are coming from there. Militant leaders and commanders are also coming from Punjab. The militants’ field commander in Swat too is from Punjab”. But was Peshawar safe? Even as he spoke, mosques in the posh areas of Peshawar were sounding with calls to jihad. The newspapers named a person allegedly belonging to Lahore-based “banned” jihadi organisation favoured by the agencies making the call for jihad against America in the capital of the NWFP. When people got scared and asked the caretaker of one such mosque to stop the outfit from spreading aggression, he said, “Under what law?” Needless to say, he spoke from the point of view of “Pakistan’s ideology”.

Who is going to counter this trend towards extremism and terrorism? Clearly, it is not just the job of the state but also of the media and opinion writers. And it has to be done in an environment of free discussion, even if it is becoming more difficult to speak out without fearing a violent reaction from the terrorists and those who now fervently believe in an aggressive “reactive” ideology. With all due respect to Governor Ghani, it is not ideology that has to be challenged with another ideology but the facts that are deployed to underpin the anarchic point of view of the extremists. This is where the media must play its role.

Tragically, it is not “unity” that is being created but a “uniformity” of opinion that is dangerous now as it was dangerous on the eve of the separation of East Pakistan in 1971. If the Quaid-e Azam wanted uniformity instead of unity he could have given us the slogan: “Uniformity, Faith, Discipline”, instead of “Unity, Faith, Discipline”. When an angry viewer rings up in an interactive TV discussion and starts eulogising the isolationist defiance of Iran and North Korea, it is incumbent on us to “correct” the facts. Without being impolite one can state the different situation of Pakistan and its compulsion of avoiding isolation. Similarly, when a caller rings and says “India never accepted Pakistan” and then links the current wave of suicide-bombings to India, one can politely counter him by saying that it is not so much India as Pakistan which never accepted an “incomplete Pakistan” and fought a number of “corrective” wars, the last of which was lost on the peaks of Kargil and was not even a popular war. It is very important to retain a balance of opinion and not allow the “common view” to tilt to one extreme. Already, the rising slogan is “do what the people want” and, according to one argument, there is no other way to go for the government but one, because “the people of Pakistan hate America”.

We can counter the oppressive order of Al Qaeda and its “school-destroying” minions through our freedom and free discussion. Governor Ghani has spoken frankly. More and more politicians must speak what they feel and not what suits their current strategy of toppling the party in power. (Daily Times)
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So, let us pull out of the war on terror. What is the alternative?

Digesting the Marriott blast

Some facts about the Marriott Hotel blast are coming out gradually as the scene of destruction is carefully examined and videos from the security cameras are scrutinised. More and more people are put off by the concept of suicide-bombing and are criticising it. The fifty-odd clerics who had issued the fatwa against it in 2005 — but were made to cower later by more aggressive clerics — are making their voice heard again. The Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) of Baitullah Mehsud in South Waziristan is reluctant to own it because of this change in public opinion.

But there is a difference of media opinion, mostly mutually intolerant, over the direction of the war to which the blast points. Unfortunately, the side that refuses to face reality is the one which says “it is not our war”, and relies on the now quite old and unacceptable pan-Islamist position that whatever Muslim extremists do is not “action” but “reaction” to some perceived injustice. What these people want everyone to believe is that the real unjust “action” is undertaken by someone else. This approach is supposed to decide the moral question of what is or isn’t “wrong doing”. Their argument is: what Muslims undertake is “reaction” and therefore doesn’t come in the category of “doing” something wrong, therefore there can be no moral judgement made on it. In this line of thinking, under all moral and criminal codes there is either absolution or mitigation for “reaction”. The question of looking for “causes” comes next. Since the Muslims have not “acted”, the argument goes, they have not caused anything to happen, hence the West and the United States have to sit down and admit to the criminality of their actions, and once they have done so, and properly compensated the Muslims for their past actions, the problem of violence and terrorism will go away automatically. Thus all moral obligations on the part of Muslims are dispensed with nicely.

But the blast at the Marriott has jolted this catechism and caused a rift. This rift undermines the unity among those who say “it is not our war”. The message behind this slogan is not a simple one. It has many ramifications and each has to be studied separately. On the face of it, the slogan gained strength after the “land invasion” of the CIA in South Waziristan earlier this month which caused the Pakistan Army and the PPP government to react in severe protest. The first message is that innocent Pakistanis die because the government is involved in the wrong war. The message has been repeated so much that most Pakistanis now believe that if Pakistan were to pull out of the “American war on terror”, innocent Muslims will no longer be killed.

But let us ask what will happen if Pakistan pulls out of the “war on terror”. The presumption, which is not spelled out, is that once this happens there will be no contradiction between Al Qaeda and its foot soldiers in FATA on the one hand and the state of Pakistan on the other. But what about the well established fact that Al Qaeda has a programme of “Islamic reform” that is global and which will start by converting Pakistan into a state based on Al Qaeda’s radical caliphate which will be the base area of its declared war on the US and the West? If we accept the assumption that our military capacity is not equal to engaging Al Qaeda in a civil war-like conflict, the unspoken assumption is that the Muslims of Pakistan will and should accept the Al Qaeda philosophy as “true faith” and allow the transformation of the state to Al Qaeda’s liking and standards. Of course, the “liberals” will be eliminated in the new order and this “wish” is apparent from the term “liberal fascists” that is being used these days in some reactionary Urdu columns.

This “it-is-not-our-war” group is clueless about what the Americans and their European allies — and others stretching as far eastward as Japan — can and may do after they no longer have to regard us as an ally but face as an ally of their enemies. Why doesn’t this group make any reference to the alternative strategy — “eat grass honourably?” — in the presumed post-pullout phase? Who will face up to the trespasses made by the NATO-ISAF forces into Pakistan? How will trespasses by Al Qaeda and the Afghan Taliban in safe havens in FATA violate our sovereignty any less? Are we ready to trust the security of the state to Al Qaeda who will, if all goes according to its plan, of course be in charge of the armed forces and will control our nuclear capability? In fact it is this thought about nuclear weapons that inclines the “it-is-not-our-war” club to pre-emptively allege that the Americans are in Afghanistan to “grab our nuclear weapons”. But surely the global consensus on taking out the nuclear weapons acquired by Al Qaeda will develop much more dangerously than it is developing now.

Abandoning the war against terrorism is no solution to the problem of Al Qaeda and its radical global agenda. Those who propose it are now faced with the growing objection to the killing of innocent citizens. And they cannot convincingly argue that, after we have pulled out, either the Americans will stop attacking Al Qaeda or Al Qaeda will stop attacking us if the state of Pakistan does not capitulate to it. (Daily Times)
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Significance of the Marriott bombing - By Khalid Aziz

Tuesday, September 23, 2008
by Khalid Aziz

The writer is a former chief secretary of NWFP and heads the Regional Institute of Policy Research

The suicide attack on the Marriott has brought into question Pakistan's participation in the war on terrorism. In a sense the attack was the consequence of the flawed policies which permitted our territories to be used as a place of refuge by the multinational militants who fled Afghanistan after the US attacked and destroyed the Taliban government in Kabul in November 2001.

From January 2008, Pakistan began to confront the militancy in FATA more vigorously. This new military trend was heralded with the launching of operation "Zalzala," against Baitullah Mahsud and his group. This operation was in the nature of collective punishment in which homes and property worth a considerable amount were destroyed, including the main market in Kotkai Razgai.

After the Mahsud operation the insurgency situation in parts of FATA and the NWFP has aggravated considerably. The operation in Bajaur has developed into a small war and the level of violence there is greater than in past confrontations. There are a considerable number of internally displaced persons generated by this new violence. More than 300,000 people have fled from the battle zones to other parts of Pakistan. Due to the increase in collateral deaths the number of motivated tribesmen seeking revenge by joining the ranks of suicide bombers has also increased. This is probably the cause of the Marriott bombing.

On the other hand Pakistan and its ally, the US, have differences over strategy. Pakistanis are upset by the violation of its sovereignty by the US. However, it is for consideration whether we should criticize others when the militants have already usurped Pakistani sovereignty over large tracts of territory south of Kohat; it barely exists in Waziristan. Obviously the loss of control over territory means that the militants have not only obtained control over people and resources but also have the space to plan and prepare operations in Pakistan.

It is now generally acknowledged that the militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan have mastered the art of communication operations. These aim to shift the perception of Pakistanis and Islamists around the world in their favour. The Marriott bombing is in the nature of an announcement that aims to challenge official Pakistani claims of ascendency in Bajaur and Swat. It is a statement telling the Pakistani political elite that the war and the cooperation with US will cost it dear.

Let us examine some of the other aspects of the Marriott bombing. This hotel is located within a security zone, which includes national institutions like the Supreme Court, the Prime Minister's Office and Parliament. On the day of the bombing the new Pakistani president was making his inaugural address to Parliament and the assembly was packed with Pakistan's civil, military and intellectual elite. One can conclude with a high degree of certainty that the target of the suicide raid was the National Assembly. If the attempt had succeeded the loss to Pakistan would have been great. It is surmised that the failure of the militants to penetrate the security around the Parliament forced them to divert to a secondary target, which happened to be the unfortunate hotel. A more successful militant attack would obviously have spread chaos and disorder causing destabilisation in Pakistan.

Secondly, the attack copied a strategy followed by Al Qaeda in Iraq in the Samarra bombing. That bombing was aimed at causing a Shia-Sunni war, which would have destroyed Iraq. A similar effect would have occurred in Pakistan had the National Assembly been hit. Is there a link between the Marriott bomber and the transnational militants fighting in Khost, Paktika and Paktia provinces of Afghanistan? The existence of such a connection cannot be over ruled.

What are the likely consequences of this tragedy? First, it is clear that its impact on Pakistani people will be one of revulsion and hatred against the militants; this is the sentiment which prevails in FATA when collateral deaths are caused by Pakistani or US attacks. The sufferers are infused with hatred and wish revenge. The families of those who suffered in this attack must feel the same way. Although the militants carried out a strategic information attack but the effect on their cause is negative. It will build the resolve of Pakistanis to support their government more.

What other messages can one get from the Marriott tragedy? First, we must implement a "zero tolerance" policy on militancy of any kind. It is extremely dangerous to believe that we would benefit from distinguishing between good and bad terrorists, as Gen Musharraf did. Gen Musharraf allowed safe refuge in Waziristan to militants who fled from Afghanistan after the US attack in November 2001. By doing so Musharraf endangered Pakistan's national security. By permitting such war-hardened radicals to fraternise with Pakistani tribes permitted the establishment of a very dangerous type of social networking. It is this association which has spread the virus of militancy throughout FATA and the NWFP and could soon infect other parts of Pakistan. The Jamia Hafsa episode is yet another example of the radical type of networking reaching critical mass right in the heart of Islamabad. American political scientist Paul E Petersen has remarked that "people don't get pushed into rebellion by their ideology. They get pulled in by their social network." If Pakistan wants to move away from this self-created calamity then it needs to transform itself and reject association with proxy warriors of any kind, irrespective of any strategic advantage that they may provide.

If social networking is at the heart of terrorism then the Marriott bombing is a call to put into practice a whole range of policies to counter the anti-Pakistan social networks. It would mean the mobilisation of communities in FATA and the NWFP to protect themselves against the militants. Techniques and plans for such an approach exist and need to be examined for implementation. If one can re-occupy the national space in an average Pakistani's heart, then one could say that the country has achieved the threshold for success. One of the central principles of this approach is to address effectively the everyday problems of a poor Pakistan. In order to do so the leadership will have to become more responsive to the needs of the average Pakistani.

Furthermore, we need to re-examine our security policies related to Afghanistan, FATA and the US. One of the problems of this war is that the operations in Afghanistan are planned by the US military, the CIA and NATO. While there can be coordination between the US military, NATO and Pakistan, the same cannot be said for the CIA, which is a law unto itself. Otherwise, how else can one explain the embarrassment of the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee during his recent meeting with Pakistani authorities? At the very moment Admiral Mullen was making a commitment to the Pakistani leadership that US attacks on the country would cease, US Predators were attacking Waziristan. To end this confusion it is essential for the US to have a single commander in Afghanistan who is in charge of both overt and covert operations. Pakistan must remain in the information loop if we want to win the war on terrorism.

Pakistan needs to carry out a security overview of lapses that occurred during the Marriott bombing. Security was woefully poor and badly compromised. It is time that we emphasised the protection of the people of Pakistan. Only then will we succeed in meeting this challenge.



Email: azizkhalid @gmail.com (The News)
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Liar, Taliban supporter, Ansar Abbasi must be tried in an anti-terrorism court because of his lies in the Marriott Hotel Attack Report - Mumtaz Gilani

MNA threatens to sue journalist

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

ISLAMABAD: Mumtaz Alam Gillani, member national assembly (PPP) on Monday strongly contradicted a news item appearing in a section of the press on September 21 that he was witness to a US embassy white truck carrying steel boxes, which were unloaded and shifted inside the Marriott hotel.

Mumtaz Alam Gillani told APP that this was just a conversation in a light mood with the reporter when he along with his friends was coming out of the hotel and some foreigners were going inside the hotel. “I had just roadside chit-chat in a friendly manner with the newsman and told him that Pakistan is a victim of terrorism”, Gillani clarified.

He further said he would be issuing a legal notice to the reporter of the newspaper whose story is based on “pack of lies” and contrary to all professional ethics.

“I have asked the reporter to contradict the news item and tender unconditional apology as he tried to belittle my image as member of parliament in the eyes of the people, particularly of my constituency”, Mumtaz Alam Gillani said.

The MNA further said that on expiry of 10-day notice if the apology is not tendered and contradiction not issued, he will sue the reporter and the newspapers in a Court of law.—APP (The News)
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Ansar Abbasi, Hamid Mir - Read this editorial in your own paper, Daily News.

Pakistan’s 9/11
Monday, September 22, 2008

The Marriottt in Islamabad is no more. This is a reality that many are still finding it hard to come to terms with. The hotel, where wedding guests assembled, where friends chatted, where journalists covering key events gathered, where business deals were struck and from where tourists ventured out to explore Pakistan has been converted into a charred ruin. The last ‘Iftaris’ taking place at it turned into a dark nightmare as a suicide bomber rammed a truck loaded with explosives into its entrance. At least 60 people have died; more than 300 injured. The precise toll is still impossible to determine with bodies still being pulled out from rooms engulfed by an inferno unleashed by the blast.

Even in a nation that has become resilient to shock and accustomed to terrorist violence, the attack has created horror. It is being described as the worst suicide bombing yet to take place in the country - Pakistan’s very own 9/11. The bomber is believed to have used 1000 kilograms of high-quality explosives in the attack. There can be no doubt about his intentions. The act has proven too that terrorism is an evil that Pakistan must fight. It is not a war that involves the US, or other powers. It directly affects each and every one of us; we must therefore fight it. The people who died are almost all Pakistanis. Most among them are poor security guards, drivers, waiters, hotel staff - caught as the explosion ripped through the building. Those who killed them are too Pakistanis. They are not aliens, not outsiders. It is our flawed policies that have allowed them to grow and to develop the maddened mindsets of hatred that spurs their actions. It is senseless to point fingers elsewhere. We must wake up to the fact that these people come from amongst us; they target venues within the country and they kill their own countrymen.

It is time we accepted this war is our own. There must be no ambiguity about this. The Marriott, for many, was the face of Islamabad. Its destruction is a reminder of the scale of the threat we face. No one in the country is safe, no place secure.

The opinions we still hear everywhere, in roadside cafes, in offices - and among the country’s establishment - that the militants who have entrenched themselves in northern areas are ‘good’ people, that force should not be used against them - is one reason why we today face such high levels of peril. Pakistan is now rated as the most dangerous place in the world. All those who have seen the charred graveyard of vehicles, of trees torn apart, of ash covering green belts, of people writhing in hospital beds, will not disagree with this assessment. Yet the fact that so many still believe the forces capable of the mayhem we saw in Islamabad on Saturday deserve some kind of protection, that they deserve to be regarded as men of honour with whom dialogue is possible, explains why they have so far proved invincible. Such thinking needs to change. There must be a consensus across society about the need to act with unity and determination to save what still remains of our wounded country. We must try to breathe life back into it. As inevitably happens after any major incident, rumours, theories, conjecture about why the Marriott was targeted will continue to circulate. There has been vague talk of US nationals being present, of equipment being moved in. This is irrelevant. It is senseless to attempt to decipher the motives driving killers to acts of evil. What is important is to find a way to vanquish them. The President, in the immediate aftermath of the blast, has spoken of the need to turn sorrow into strength, to face the situation with courage. The words express the right sentiments. What is crucial is to find the means to act on them and to ensure that everyone in circles of decision-making is working towards the same goal. The civilian and military government must ensure cooperation and combined planning towards this end.

There are now several key challenges ahead. They go beyond the question of immediate arrests or an investigation of the blast itself.

These are of course important, but we need to look further and draw up a plan of action that in time will help us build a country where people are safe and where the terror that lurks everywhere in Islamabad and indeed other cities does not forever haunt us. How can this be done? Indeed can it now be achieved at all? These are questions we must face up to. Too much time has already been lost. The actions being contemplated today should have come years, perhaps, decades sooner. After all, suicide bombings were, even five years ago, almost unknown in the country. We must ask ourselves how we so rapidly descended in the abyss of violence we face today. In 2003, 189 people in the country died in terrorist related incidents. In 2007 this figure stood at over 3,500. In 2002, 20 died in two suicide attacks.

For 2008 the figure already stands at over 300. Who knows what the toll will be by the time the year reaches its bloody end. An understanding of how this happened, and why it was allowed to happen, is crucial to developing a strategy to deal with the ghastly realty we face.

But there are ways to try and overcome terror, provided there is will, and commitment and a shared vision. The measures that are required include an improvement in security and the training of personnel at checkposts. In Iraq, such an enhancement in their skills has helped bring down the number of bombings and the number of deaths. But far more is needed than mere security. The fact is that today, thousands of persons recruited through the years for ‘jihad’ by militant outfits - with or without official patronage - roam in our cities, our towns, our tribal areas. In most cases their only skills involve the use of guns, grenades and bombs. A means has to be found to rehabilitate these people and prevent them from leading still others down the staircase that leads to violence. In times of high unemployment and high desperation such recruitment is taking place rapidly. We must also act decisively against key militants, their outfits and their seminaries. Many in northern areas are able to identify seminaries where killers are trained. Such institutions exist too in our cities.

They must be closed down. The immediate task for the government is to build the consensus required to go about this. There is no time to lose, no time to waste. The still smouldering remains of the Marriott are a reminder of the need for urgent action. If we fail now, there will yet be worse to come in the days ahead.
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Terrorism apologists - Read this editorial in Daily Dawn

Defeating terrorism


THE carnage at Islamabad’s Marriott Hotel has shocked Pakistan and has been rightly condemned. The target may have been ‘western’ but the timing — soon after iftar — ensured that the majority of victims were Pakistani. In the days ahead, the bombing will take to a fever pitch the debate about whether Pakistan is fighting its own war against terrorism or America’s. The debate will miss the point: it is an internal war, and it goes to the heart of what we want Pakistan to be. Do we want a country that provides a decent standard of living in a safe environment for its citizens? Or do we want to fight ideological wars that will condemn us to a vicious cycle of death and destruction? For the terrorism apologists, a strange distinction holds: that those opposing the Americans or Indians or the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan are not our concern because they do not want to harm us. This is not true. They do harm us because they retard our future and, as the Marriott bombing so viciously demonstrated, they destroy our present.

More urgently than ever, the defence establishment needs to get its act together. The civilian leaders and their uniformed counterparts must draw up a clear policy to fight terrorism. Pakistan is not faced with an ordinary law and order situation and the terrorist violence is not confined to a few areas. A counter-insurgency strategy is needed for all parts of Pakistan and the defence establishment must quickly pull together every strand of available resources. No doubt even the most efficient administrations in the world would be taxed by such a task. But what is truly distressing about Pakistan is the utter lack of any visible direction. Since Aug 6, Pakistan has been fighting militants in Bajaur. Yet virtually no one in the country is aware of who we are fighting and why. Worse yet, it’s not clear who is responsible for the operation: the political government, the military or both? Is it any surprise that the people are confused and split when they do not know who we are fighting, why we are fighting and even who ‘we’ is?
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Admit it: this is Pakistan’s war

Twelve hours after the blasting of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, the flames had still not been doused. The medium-sized Shehzore truck, packed with 600 kg of RDX explosives, drove up to the hotel barrier and exploded, setting the hotel on fire. It is more than likely that, just as he was “pleasantly” surprised by the result of the attack on the World Trade Centre in New York in 2001, Osama bin Laden must have been “happily” surprised by the total annihilation of the hotel with a truck that, according to the owner Mr Sadruddin Hashwani, was not even allowed to enter the premises but stopped at the barrier near the main road by the hotel guards.

Islamabad has received major attention from Al Qaeda after the elections in 2008, at the rate of almost once a month. Al Qaeda has acknowledged bombing the Danish embassy while letting its Taliban minions accept responsibility for others. And Al Qaeda is not new to the task. In 1995, by his own admission, Aiman al Zawahiri had proclaimed his theory of al adu al qarib (the near enemy) by bombing and completely destroying the Egyptian embassy in Islamabad. However, despite all this special attention from Al Qaeda, the security agencies have not been able to “secure” Islamabad. One reason is obvious. Suicide bombers are virtually unstoppable. Another is the existence of Al Qaeda sympathisers and facilitators at every level of Pakistani society, but especially at the lower level. A third is the lack of anti-terrorist training in our civilian intelligence agencies which are ill-staffed and ill-equipped. Low levels of pay account for low levels of motivation too.

The target may have been the parliament building where President Asif Zardari made his speech in the presence of all the important personages of the state. A truck laden with explosives was allowed to move on the roads of the capital city without sufficient checking. One reason is that it was camouflaged as a contruction-goods carrier, which made it congruous with the construction sites across the city. Apparently it was “checked” a short distance from the Marriott but the checking was confined to diverting it in one sensitive area rather than examing its contents. According to former secretary FATA, Brigadier (Retd) Mehmood Khan, the explosives could be from the Wah munitions factory, contents of a truck hijacked by Al Qaeda not long ago. Al Qaeda was thus using local resources.

The Marriott Hotel was probably the secondary target. Unfortunately, no one in Islamabad possessed the imagination to visualise what Al Qaeda could do with suicide-bombing. The hotel had received three hits before this, once clearly threatened by the clerics of Lal Masjid who boasted having many suicide-bombers in reserve, an oblique reference to the destructive ability of Al Qaeda, the patron of the growing strength of violent clergy in Islamabad, with nearly a hundred madrassas, many of them illegal. The seizure of Islamabad is on the drawing board of the leaders of Al Qaeda.

Regrettably, there was some “deflective” journalism in evidence soon enough. One commentator said President Zardari should go to the US, stare President Bush in the eye and challenge him. Another seriously wondered if the blast might actually have been caused by “foreign” powers, a reference that could embrace anyone from India, Afghanistan, Israel and Russia to the United States. One journalist alleged that the Marriott was a target because some American Marines had secretly holed out there during Admiral Mike Mullen’s visit to Islamabad last week. A cleric in Quetta said he could not condemn the attack because it was a fidai hamla (suicide attack) aimed at “America and its accomplices”. A leader of Jama’at-e Islami thought it could be a sequel to blasts in India, meaning that it could be a tit-for-tat incident from India and not from someone inside Pakistan. It is amazing how these people are deceiving themselves and the people of Pakistan by not calling a spade a spade —Al Qaedi did it — because of their anti-Americanism, however justified that may be.

Thankfully, it was Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani who was direct and clear in his designation of the enemy. He said the attack had come from Al Qaeda and its thousands of “foreign” terrorists now located in the Tribal Areas. President Zardari was more exhortative when he said he and the people of Pakistan would together face the onslaught of terrorism and referred to “the wife that he had buried” after she fell victim to the same terrorists not too far from Islamabad last December. It was also good to see Rehman Malik, the advisor to the interior ministry, arrive at the site and take charge minutes after the incident and facilitate the treatment of the casualties in the various hospitals of the city.

Let us admit it. This is Pakistan’s war that Pakistan’s army is fighting. Let us also admit that Pakistan needs alignments at the global level to even diagnose what is happening to it, apart from the crucial intelligence about the movement and intent — through tapped phone calls — of Al Qaeda and those who serve it. And let us admit that, given its economic crisis, Pakistan cannot even deploy the muscle it possesses against the terrorists unless it is assisted with funds, expertise and technology from its friends abroad. (Daily Times)
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Defeating terrorism: The carnage at Islamabad’s Marriott Hotel

Sunday, 21 Sep,

The carnage at Islamabad’s Marriott Hotel has shocked Pakistan and has been rightly condemned. The target may have been ‘western’ but the timing — soon after iftar — ensured that the majority of victims were Pakistani. In the days ahead, the bombing will take to a fever pitch the debate about whether Pakistan is fighting its own war against terrorism or America’s. The debate will miss the point: it is an internal war, and it goes to the heart of what we want Pakistan to be. Do we want a country that provides a decent standard of living in a safe environment for its citizens? Or do we want to fight ideological wars that will condemn us to a vicious cycle of death and destruction? For the terrorism apologists, a strange distinction holds: that those opposing the Americans or Indians or the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan are not our concern because they do not want to harm us. This is a not true. They do harm us because they retard our future and, as the Marriott bombing so viciously demonstrated, they destroy our present. (Daily Dawn)
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Islamabad Marriott Attack: Parliament was the target

Sunday, September 21, 2008

By Muhammad Ahmad Noorani (The News)

ISLAMABAD: The Marriott attack was actually aimed at parliament where the entire civil and military leadership of the country had gathered, in violation of the security codes, but it was thwarted by the strict security arrangements.

Two security check-posts established on the Constitution Avenue saved the top civil and military leadership of Pakistan gathered in the Parliament House, listening to the first address by President Asif Ali Zardari, top security officials said.

The two security posts were installed on the Constitution Avenue, on the road leading to the Parliament House -- one in front of the main gate of the federal secretariat and the other near the Prime Minister Secretariat. These two check-posts were in fact installed on Nov 3rd last, at the time of imposition of emergency. However, security checking at these posts remained tough and soft, depending on situation or intelligence reports.

According to the officials, the checking at these check posts was made very strict on Saturday in view of the presidential address and the presence of the whole national leadership in the Parliament House. These security check-posts were allowing only relevant people to move towards the house on the Constitution Avenue.

Advisor to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik, while talking to The News, revealed that his ministry had received two days ago information regarding suicide attack on the Parliament House at the time of the presidentís address. Rehman said the security of the capital was beefed up and the surroundings of the Parliament House were declared as red zone. He said that he and his experts believed that the truck which hit the Marriott on Saturday tried to enter in the red zone during the time of address of the president. "However, because of strict security measures the truck was barred to go towards the Parliament House," Rehman said, adding: "This is our perception now that the terrorists had already set two targets, one direct and the other optional.î

Security personnel at the two check-posts were not allowing the vehicles to move towards the Parliament House, diverting them to other roads.

Rehman Malik also revealed that the truck was carrying construction materials, adding the terrorists made the best use of their mind, keeping in view the intense construction works going on in the area. They used such a truck to deceive the security officials. He, however, admitted that checking of trucks carrying construction materials was included in the security measures.

He said that first there was a small blast, perhaps to disperse the security personnel. ìAnd then there was the major blast, the worst of its kind in the capitalís history,î he said, adding not less than 1,000 Kg of explosives was used in the explosion.

When asked that when his ministry was mindful of a possible terrorist activity why such a great security lapse took place, Rehman said it was very hard to deal with suicide bombers all around the world. He maintained that such blasts were being even made in countries like India and the UK, adding security agencies were unable to control such activities despite their all out efforts.

When asked about the weaknesses in the relief operations, Rehman defended his ministry by saying that all available resources were used and the Army rescue team was called. He said though the Pakistan Army had fire-rescue helicopters but those couldn't be operated during night.

Secretary Interior Kamal Shah, during a chat with this correspondent, said that besides the Islamabad police his ministry had deputed the Frontier Constabulary, the Rangers, intelligence agenciesí officials, bomb disposal squads and even the Pakistan Army was at disposal. Kamal said that the whole Islamabad, including areas like Shakar Paryaan and all hilltops were under strict security through 18 different security check-posts. He said that August 14th security arrangements were in place.

Kamal Shah, while justifying the security lapse, said it is our culture that at the time of Iftar the security arrangements automatically become a bit soft. He said that the terrorists had no religion as they hit some moments after Iftar, exploiting the time.

..........


Who is responsible? Al-Qaeda, Taliban, Jihadis, Jangi Junoonis (war maniacs), Sectarian groups, rogue elements in ISI and other intelligence agencies.

http://letusbuildpakistan.blogspot.com/2008/09/appeal-show-no-mercy-to-terrorists-and.html
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Islamabad Marriott Hotel bomb blast 20 September - Appeal: Show No Mercy to Terrorists and Their Supporters

Islamabad Marriott Hotel bomb blast 20 September

Appeal: Show No Mercy to Terrorists and Their Supporters

To:
The President of Pakistan
The Prime Minister of Pakistan,
Chief of Army Staff
Chief Justice of Pakistan

In the light of the ongoing terrorist activities by Al-Qaeda, Taliban, Jihadi and sectarian organizations against innocent local and foreign citizens in Pakistan, we appeal you to:

1. suspend all forms of dialogue with any terrorist / violent organization or group;

2. deal with utmost state power (including army, air force and latest weapons) to crush all networks of violence and terrorism in FATA, Swat and all other areas in which terrorists / Jihadis freely operate;

3. set up summary anti-terrorist courts to swiftly deal with and execute those involved in performing or supporting acts of terrorism;

3. arrest and try in anti-terrorist courts all spokespersons/mouthpieces of terrorists including General Hamid Gul, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Mullah Munawar Hasan, Mullah Liaqat Baloch, Imran Khan, Professor Hafiz Saeed, Javed Ibrahim Piracha, Mullah Sami-ul-Haq, and all other culprits;

4. develop and implement a stiff anti-terrorism code of conduct for media; ban all those TV programs, internet sites and newspapers which are abusing the freedom of press and promoting acts of violence and terrorism in Pakistan (e.g. Auria Maqbool Jan, Irfan Siddiqi, Mushtaq Minhas, Kashif Abbasi, Ansar Abbasi and Hamid Mir);

5. completely reform intelligence agencies in Pakistan including ISI and IB to eliminate any violent, extremist elements presently operating within these agencies;

6. use state power to bring peace to the Kurram Agency and Parachinar, and also suspend the inhuman siege of Parachinar by the Taliban and Al-Qaeda;

6. develop a proactive and empowered regional anti-terrorism coalition including the following members: Pakistan, China, Iran, Afghanistan and India. The USA and Russia may have an observatory role in such a coalition.

We beg you to take these steps without late so that the people of Pakistan and the entire international community could live in peace.

Down with terrorism. Long live Pakistan.

Signed by 1500 citizens of Islamabad and Rawalpindi
Date: 20 September 2008


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Massive Bomb Attack Kills Dozens in Pakistan's Capital
Explosion Rips Through Marriott Hotel in Islamabad; at Least 40 Dead

By Pamela Constable
Washington Post Foreign Service
Saturday, September 20, 2008; 12:21 PM

KABUL, Afghanistan, Sep. 20 -- A massive explosion ripped through the premier hotel in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad on Saturday night, killing at least 40 people and engulfing the building in flames.

Officials said a suicide bomber drove a truck up to the side of the heavily guarded hotel and detonated explosives.

Television footage of the Islamabad Marriott Hotel, located just blocks from many major government buildings, showed flames leaping from almost every window in the five-story hotel and bloodied survivors staggering from the lobby.

There were unconfirmed reports that more than 1,000 people had been inside the hotel at the time of the attack, and police said the death toll was expected to rise. Ambulances and other vehicles ferried dozens of injured survivors away from the scene.

Islamabad has been the site of several other bombings in recent months, including a suicide attack at the Danish Embassy and a planted explosion at a garden Italian restaurant frequented by foreign visitors. But the Marriott attack was by far the most powerful and lethal, even with the final casualty toll unknown.

The bombing came just hours after the country's newly elected president, Asif Ali Zardari, delivered a maiden speech to Parliament in which he vowed to rid Pakistan of the "shackles of terrorism."

Zardari and his government face a rapidly growing threat from violent Islamist extremists, especially in the northwest border regions with Afghanistan. The Pakistan army has recently staged several major military operations in that region, and extremists have vowed to retaliate.

"This is a message to the new government that nothing is safe, even in the capital," one analyst told Al Jazeera cable television, as the network showed live images of flames spreading and black smoke pouring out of the 258-room Marriott.
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Witnesses and residents of the modern, heavily policed capital said they heard and felt the explosion several miles away. The bomber detonated his explosive-laden truck during Iftar, the evening fast-breaking ritual that occurs each day during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.

Police said the truck used in the attack carried more than one ton of explosives. The blast left a huge crater, more than 30 feet deep, beside the building in the heart of Islamabad.

The hotel, located close to the country's Parliament, presidential offices, Supreme Court and other major institutions, is the center of the capital's social and political scene. It is also a longtime favorite of foreign visitors, including businessmen, journalists and diplomats.

Security is always heavy, with all vehicles checked outside the entrance.

Television footage showed the hotel's elegant stone lobby, known for its 24-hour buffet and constant political meetings, as a charred and collapsed ruin. Dozens of vehicles in the parking lot were twisted hulks of metal. The powerful explosion also ignited rooms on every floor of the hotel, and intense flames roared from dozens of windows into the night. Officials said there was no immediate indication of who was behind the blast, but Islamist militant groups have staged numerous smaller attacks in recent months, and some groups in the country's volatile tribal belt vowed last week to avenge the Pakistan army's recent attacks in several tribal districts.

Analysts said the blast was likely to intensify pressure on Zardari's government to crack down on terrorism, something the Bush administration has also been demanding, The two governments, major allies in the war on terror, have been at loggerheads the past week over U.S. cross-border military raids in pursuit of al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters.

..........

Daily Dawn

Suicide attack kills dozens in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: A massive truck bomb devastated the heavily guarded Marriott Hotel in Pakistan's capital Saturday, engulfing the building in flames, killing at least 40 people and wounding at least 100.


The Marriott in Islamabad is a favorite place for foreigners as well as Pakistani politicians and business people to stay and socialize, despite repeated militant attacks.

The blast left a vast crater, some 10 meters (30 feet) deep in front of the main building, where flames poured from the windows and rescuers ferried a stream of bloodied bodies from the gutted building.

Police sought in vain to shoo away bystanders and reporters for fear of gas leaks and that the building might collapse.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the attack in a statement.

‘This is terrorism and we have to fight it together as a nation,’ Rehman Malik, the head of Pakistan's Interior Ministry, told reporters at a hospital overflowing with the wounded.

Witnesses and officials said a large truck rammed the high metal gate of the hotel at about 8 p.m. (1400 GMT), when the restaurants would have been packed with diners, including people breaking the Ramadan fast.

Senior police official Asghar Raza Gardaizi said rescuers had counted at least 40 bodies at the scene and he feared that there are ‘dozens more dead inside.’

Associated Press reporters saw at least nine bodies scattered at the scene. Scores of people, including foreigners, were running out _ some of them stained with blood. Witnesses spoke of a smaller blast followed by a much larger one.

A US State Department official using a section of white pipe as a walking stick led three colleagues through the rubble from the charred building, one of them bleeding heavily from a wound on the side of his head.

One of the four, who identified himself only as Tony, said they had begun moving toward the rear of the Chinese restaurant after the first blast when the second one threw them against the back wall.

‘Then we saw a big truck coming through the gates,’ he said. ‘After that it was just smoke and darkness.’

Ambulances rushed to the area, picking their way through the charred carcasses of vehicles that had been in the street outside. Windows in buildings hundreds of meters away were shattered.

Mohammad Sultan, a hotel employee, said he was in the lobby when something exploded, he fell down and everything temporarily went dark.

‘I didn't understand what it was, but it was like the world is finished,’ he said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast.

DawnNews adds; a Danish diplomat and at least three US citizens are among the injured. Casualties were being shifted to the Poly Clinic and PIMS hospitals in Islamabad.

Footage from the channel showed flames rising from several parts of the hotel building; several vehicles were also completely destroyed. The hotel lobby was shown devastated by the blast.

Ambulances and fire brigades were on the scene and the entire area has been cordoned off by security forces. Security has been put on high alert across the country, interior ministry sources told DawnNews.

According to police sources, at least 15 people were trapped inside the burning hotel, and efforts were underway to try to rescue them.

The president and prime minister have expressed deep sorrow and sympathies for the victims and emergency has been declared at all major hospitals. The prime minister has also appealed for blood donations.

Further updates: http://letusbuildpakistan.blogspot.com
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