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| India-Pakistan |
| Suicide attackers strike as Benazir's party reads her will |
| 2007-12-30 |
| ISLAMABAD (AP): Suicide attackers tried to kill a leading Pakistani politician Sunday as members of Benazir Bhutto's political party prepared for critical meetings on whether to boycott Jan. 8 elections following her assassination. The Pakistan People's Party meeting also was set to read Ms Bhutto's last will and testament and consider her replacement as leader. The meeting comes amid controversy surrounding her death, which triggered nationwide riots and thrust the nuclear-armed country into deep political crisis. The government rejected suggestions it should enlist foreign help in investigating Ms Bhutto's killing Thursday in a suicide bomb and gun attack. The Islamic militant group blamed by officials for the attack denied any links to the killing, and Ms Bhutto's aides accused the government of a cover-up. A pullout by the Pakistan People's Party could destroy the credibility of next month's poll, already being boycotted by Pakistan's other main opposition leader, Nawaz Sharif. Washington has pressured its ally, President Pervez Musharraf, who seized power in a coup eight years ago, to push ahead with the election to promote stability in the country and help it better fight rising violence by al-Qaida and Taliban militants. Mass unrest among her supporters since Thursday has left at least 44 people dead and tens of millions of dollars of damage. Rioters have destroyed 176 banks, 34 gas stations, 72 train cars, 18 rail stations, and hundreds of cars and shops. Sunday's suicide attack was the first in Pakistan since Bhutto's killing. Two suspected militants blew themselves up close to the residence of residence of Ijazul Haq, a senior leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q party, in eastern Pakistan, said Zafar Abbas Bukhari, the district police chief. Both men died, but there were no other casualties. Police said Haq was the target of the attack, but was not home at the time. Haq was minister for religious affairs in July when the government launched a military operation against a militant-linked mosque in Islamabad, killing over 100 people. He is reportedly on a militant hit list. Meanwhile, uncertainty intensified over the circumstances of Ms Bhutto's assassination as she waved to supporters from the sunroof of her armored vehicle outside a campaign rally. Video footage shows a man shooting at her three times from close range seconds before her car is caught up in an explosion from a suicide attacker. Authorities initially said she died from bullet wounds, but subsequently Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema said Bhutto was killed when the shockwaves from the suicide bomb smashed her head into the sunroof as she tried to duck back inside the vehicle. Ms Bhutto's spokeswoman Sherry Rehman said, ``We saw a bullet wound in the back of her neck. What the government is saying is actually dangerous and nonsensical. They are pouring salt on our wounds.'' The government blamed the attack on the Tehrik-i-Taliban, a newly formed coalition of Islamic militants led by Baitullah Mehsud along the Afghan border believed to be linked to al-Qaeda and committed to waging holy war against the government. But Mehsud spokesman Maulana Mohammed Umer said ``We strongly deny it. Baitullah Mehsud is not involved in the killing of Benazir Bhutto.'' |
| Posted by:john frum |
| #7 On 16 September 2001, bin Laden read a statement later broadcast by Qatar's Al Jazeera satellite channel saying: I stress that I have not carried out this act, which appears to have been carried out by individuals with their own motivation.[65] God has struck America at its Achilles heel and destroyed its greatest buildings, praise and blessing to Him.[66] In November 2001, U.S. forces recovered a videotape in Jalalabad. In it Laden discusses the attack with Khaled al-Harbi in a way indicating foreknowledge of the attack. "We calculated in advance the number of casualties from the enemy;" and "We had notification since the previous Thursday that the event [the 9/11 attack] would take place that day." |
| Posted by: Whomong Guelph4611 2007-12-30 22:40 |
| #6 Kinda like 9/11, which took several years of denial before anybody in AQ took public responsibility. Is that true? I've forgotten already. I thought they were bragging early on. |
| Posted by: Whomong Guelph4611 2007-12-30 22:31 |
| #5 Government is throwing the burden of killing on Al-Qaida and represents of Al-Qaida already denied for that, it is fact that it is the custom of Al-Qaida to announce and to take the responsibility of their all acts committed by them. Kinda like 9/11, which took several years of denial before anybody in AQ took public responsibility. You can make assertions to back your claim, but it doesn't make them true. |
| Posted by: Jack Whineting9892 2007-12-30 21:34 |
| #4 Government is throwing the burden of killing on Al-Qaida and represents of Al-Qaida already denied for that, it is fact that it is the custom of Al-Qaida to announce and to take the responsibility of their all acts committed by them. A trenchant point. Thank you for your post, Mr. Jehangir Rahujo. We share your sorrow that this political murder was done. One wonders if, after, Sindh will consent to remain part of Pakistan. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-12-30 19:13 |
| #3 It is day of sorrows, tears and hat ness. We condemn the act of Martyrdom/ assassination of Muhatarma Benazir Bhutto. The attack upon her was not an attack on her self but same was on Pakistan. That is not a single time we are receiving the death body of leader from the establishment especially from Punjab. It was last chance to them to show and prove their sincerity to Sindh. It is fact that it is second time that Punjab sent us a death body of Sindhi leader and Ex- Prime Minister. Still we could not forget the assassination of Mr.Zulifqar Ali Bhutto. Benazir was not single lady but she was a symbol of the Pakistan, shelter of Sindh and chain in the Federation of Pakistan. Assassination of Banazir is actually is an assassination of federation. She was full shined star on the sky of the Global politics. It is unfortunate for the Pakistan and all progressive mind people of the world that Martyred Benazir is not in between us. I think it total responsibility of state to provide the security to the life of the people and Benazir was an international personality and several times she rote to the Government to take measures to secure her, but how Government could take steps to secure when it is involved in this assassination. We know Musaraf and his terror Party are involved in this political assassination. How now lovers of Pakistan can will satisfy the people of Sindh that they thinking them as equal. It is totally fraud with people of Pakistan and specially with people if Sindh . It is also shameful that Government and Military establishment is continuously trying to hide the assassinators and changing their statements in regard of her killing. Government is throwing the burden of killing on Al-Qaida and represents of Al-Qaida already denied for that, it is fact that it is the custom of Al-Qaida to announce and to take the responsibility of their all acts committed by them. Assassination of Benazir Bhutto is a target killing and killers are known by Government, Choudhris, their allies and Terrorist group of Karachi, who like to control of country in their hands and are worried for wining position in the coming elections of the country. The people of Sindh are under shock and they can not forget this political assassination and the assassinators. Benazir is from the soil of Sindh. So people of Sindh continuously drop the tears. Jehangir Rahujo,Advocate |
| Posted by: Chunky Grinenter7463 2007-12-30 13:18 |
| #2 The chickens have really come home to roost.. the son of General Zia Ul Haq is the target of suicide bombers? |
| Posted by: john frum 2007-12-30 07:43 |
| #1 Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud, blamed by the Pakistan government for masterminding the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto, had twice sent emissaries to inform her that he was not her enemy, according to a senior leader of her party. "Identify your enemy, I am not your enemy, I have nothing to do with you or against you or with the assassination attempt on you on October 18," Mehsud had said through the emissaries. This was revealed by Farhatullah Babar, the spokesman for Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party. "The top PPP leadership trusted the message," Babar told The News. Mehsud had conveyed to Bhutto that his activities were limited to Waziristan and were of a 'defensive nature. "I have neither the resources to fight outside Waziristan nor do I have any plans to attack Benazir Bhutto in the future," Mehsud had told the PPP leadership. |
| Posted by: john frum 2007-12-30 07:20 |