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| India-Pakistan |
| Triple blasts in Lahore, 29 killed, 243 injured |
| 2010-09-02 |
| LAHORE: Terrorists on Wednesday targeted Shias marking Hazrat AliÂ’s (RA) martyrdom in Lahore, killing 29 people and injuring 243 others in two suicide and one grenade attack. Banned terrorist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Al-Alami has accepted responsibility for the three attacks that occurred minutes apart in LahoreÂ’s Bhaati Gate locality. The mourning procession was in its last stages and was about to end at Karbala Gamay Shah, near Data Darbar, when the terrorists stuck. Eyewitnesses said that the participants had gathered outside Gamay Shah for Iftari, when a terrorist, standing on a nearby rooftop, threw a hand grenade on the crowd. The explosion killed one person and injured dozens others. The ensuing stampede spread to the procession that was stretched on the road from Data Darbar to Anarkali. The security ring created by police personnel around the procession by blocking roads then collapsed as people started running in every direction. A suicide bomber, who succeeded in penetrating to the middle of the crowd, then exploded himself at Bhatti Gate Chowk, about 100 yards from the site of the grenade attack. The blast was far more deadly and everywhere people were seen laying in pools of blood, most of whom were later pronounced dead. In the meantime, several small groups of furious people started attacking the nearby police personnel. At that time, another suicide bomber exploded himself at Bhaati Gate Chowk. The third explosion was the deadliest and caused a large number of causalities. The mob then got out of control and started burning tyers and chanting slogans. Police tried to control the situation by resorting to tear-gassing and baton-charging the protesters. However, this only intensified the protest. The crowd also tried to burn down government and private property, while a small group attacked the Lower Mall and Bhaati Gate police stations. Two police cars and three motorcycles were also set on fire. Rangers personnel were then called in to bring the situation under control. I guess I don't get it: terrorists attack, and the crowd responds by attacking the police? Later, Lahore Commissioner Khusro Pervez acknowledged before the media that police negligence was one of the main reasons behind the explosions and the subsequent violence. President Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani have condemned the blasts and said the attackers would not escape justice. They expressed sorrow and grief over the loss of precious lives in the blasts. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has also strongly condemned the attack and announced Rs 500,000 each for families of the people who were killed in the attacks. Senator Abbas Kumaili, a prominent Shia scholar, has called for three days of mourning over the attack and lashed out at the bombers. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #3 Can you imagine a mob of Islamic Rage Boys™ = a mob of insane psychotics who will believe any rumor and demand: Blood! Allan wills it! |
| Posted by: Frank G 2010-09-02 20:18 |
| #2 Doc, I suspect the crowd attacked the police because it believed the police were in some way complicit in the attack (and it may have been right.) |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2010-09-02 10:04 |
| #1 You would think, what with the floods, they would have other matters to attend to than suicide bombing in the name of Allen I knew there was a reason I gave my donation money to Fred to fight for freedom of speech, over paying for Pakistan's failure to prepare for flood |
| Posted by: anon1 2010-09-02 09:54 |