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| India-Pakistan |
| Ahmedis targeted in Lahore carnage |
| 2010-05-29 |
| Terrorists wearing suicide vests stormed two places of worship of the Ahmedi community on Friday, initiating an over three-hour-long standoff that resulted in the killing of 80 worshippers. Continues yesterday's story... At least 92 people were injured in the attacks and were moved to various hospitals across the city. The dead included children and elderly people. The grenade-and-gun attack began when the assailants stormed the worship places in Lahore's Model Town and Garhi Shahu areas, a few minutes before special Friday worship began at the two facilities. Both the attacks were assisted by suicide bombers and began with a difference of a few minutes. Squads of terrorists stormed into the facilities' halls firing guns, throwing grenades and taking hostages in one of the deadliest targeting of Ahmedis in Pakistan. "At least 70 people have been killed in both the attacks," Lahore District Coordination Officer Sajjad Bhutta told reporters. Doctor Rizwan Naseer, head of the Rescue 1122 service in Lahore, said 108 people were injured as police continued to search for any remaining attackers. District civil defence official Mazhar Ahmed earlier put the death toll at 64. "We have taken as many as 42 dead bodies from Garhi Shahu so far and more are coming," he said. Another 22 died in Model Town, he added. Arrests: After battling the terrorists for hours at the two under-siege worship places, city police claimed to have arrested two of the attackers from Model Town and one suspect from the Garhi Shahu facility for Ahmedis' worship. Police said the suspected terrorist apprehended in the Garhi Shahu attack was arrested when he tried to escape the facility under the garb of a worshipper. The terrorists resorted to the same method of attack they applied in the attack at the Rescue 15 office on May 27, 2009. TV channels ran footage of the cross-firing between the terrorists hiding inside the Garhi Shahu facility and police all day, with announcements being repeated from loudspeakers in nearby mosques asking people to stay away from the worship facility and take refuge at safe places. In Garhi Shahu, witnesses said two bikers reached the main gate of the worship place, both armed and carrying bags in their hand. They opened indiscriminate fire at the security personnel, killing 14 people instantly. The attackers then hurled hand grenades in and around the facility, raising clouds of blinding smoke in the area. Meanwhile, five others joined the attackers and rushed inside the facility. One of the attackers took position atop the facility's minaret, launching sporadic firing from his refuge. The rest held worshippers hostage, killing them at will with gunfire and grenades. Police contingents at the Ahmedi worship facility in Model Town said there were three attackers. "They came into the mosque from the back and started firing. They were armed with hand grenades and suicide vests and other weapons," senior police official Rana Ayaz told reporters. According to the details, the three terrorists who attacked the Model Town facility first killed people deputed at the main gate for security and then entered the facility, hurdling hand grenades all around. Security personnel deployed inside the facility retaliated with firing, but the attackers hurled more grenades and entered the main praying hall, taking the people present hostage. They retorted to indiscriminate firing at the people busy in prayers, killing several on the spot. Police arrived shortly after and launched a rescue operation. One of the attackers blew himself up as police made headway into the facility, while the rescue party arrested the other two after they were injured in the gunbattle. Law minister: Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said the terrorist arrested in Model Town had been identified as Muhammad, while the other was unconscious. He added that that one hailed from Rahim Yar Khan, while the other was a teenaged Pashtun. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Religion Of Peace™ - just ask John Brennan |
| Posted by: Frank G 2010-05-29 09:47 |