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Foreign hand in Lahore attack, says report
Admitting that the attack on Sri Lankan cricketers was a "complete security lapse," a report on the incident by Pakistani authorities has blamed "some foreign countries" for the audacious strikes; giving a clean chit to outlawed terror groups LeT and JuD.

The attack was planned and financed by "some foreign countries" and militants based in the restive South Waziristan tribal region might have been used by the perpetrators.
The attack was planned and financed by "some foreign countries" and militants based in the restive South Waziristan tribal region might have been used by the perpetrators, Dawn newspaper quoted the report as saying. The 40-point report, which was presented by Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday, has pulled up senior police officer for not being able to arrest any of the 12 terrorists involved in the attack.

The police force did not reach the scene of the assault for at least half an hour and a "complete security lapse" gave a free hand to terrorists to carry out the attack, the report notes.

The report has not yet been made public by the government and there was no official word on the development. Sources said the report would be reviewed by all intelligence and security agencies before it is shared with the Sri Lankan government.

Militants freed
Pakistani authorities on Friday freed 20 jailed militants as a "goodwill gesture" to carry forward the peace process in the Taliban-dominated Swat valley.

Among the militants set free was Noorul Huda, the brother of Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan, officials in Swat were quoted as saying by state-run APP news agency.

The militants were released as per the provisions of a peace agreement signed last month by the NWFP government and Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariah Muhammadi (TNSM), a group of religious hardliners led by Sufi Muhammad, the father-in-law of Taliban commander Maulana Fazlullah.

The 20 militants were handed over to a peace committee, a day after the Taliban demanded that the authorities release 210 prisoners. More than 30 Taliban prisoners have been freed since the pact was inked. The release of the militants followed long deliberations The TNSM and the peace committee assured the government that the freed militants would not resort to any violence.
Posted by: Fred 2009-03-21
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=265610