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Change In Plans Reportedly Saved Pakistani Leaders
by Gh0s7 | September 22, 2008 at 10:06 am | 84 views | 2 comments | 2 recommendations
Nahal Toosi of the Associated Press out of Pakistan is reporting that Pakistan's top leaders were to dine at the Marriott hotel that was destroyed by a truck bomb over the weekend. A senior government official has said that the leaders changed the venue at the last minute, thus intentionally or unintentionally avoiding the truck bomb.
"Perhaps the terrorists knew that the Marriott was the venue of the dinner for all the leadership where the president, prime minister, speaker and all entire leadership would be present," he told reporters. "At the eleventh hour, the president and prime minister decided that the venue would be the prime minister's house. It saved the entire leadership."
The attack killed 53 people and wounded hundreds. The attack came at a time when there have been increasing strains in the United State - Pakistani allliance regarding raids by the United States across the border from Afghanistan to Pakistan.
Dubai-based TV channel Al-Arabiya reported it had received a tape from a little known group calling itself "Fedayeen al-Islam" — Arabic for "Islam commandos" — claiming responsibility for the hotel bombing Saturday and demanding an end to U.S.-Pakistan cooperation against Islamic militants.
The Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik did not specify why the prime minister and the president had decided to move the dinner from the Marriott to the premier's house and said that decision had been kept secret.
The article does go on to say that a spokesman for the hotel owner said it had no plans to host a dinner for government leaders.
"We didn't have any reservation of such a dinner that the government official is talking about," Jamil Khawar told The Associated Press.
Malik has said that the Marriott was most likely attacked because the attack would get tremendous international attention. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said the truck bomber attacked the hotel only after security kept him from reaching Parliment or the Premier's residence, which were both less than a mile away.
The United States State Department spokesman Robert Wood said the attack showed the need for Pakistanis, Afghans, and the United States to redouble efforts against extremists in the region.
"This was a heinous act that was committed by terrorists who have no interest in anything other than maiming and killing innocent civilians. And we're going to step up our efforts and work with the Pakistanis to do what we can," he said.
Malik said "all roads lead to FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) in major Pakistani suicide attacks.
September 22, 2008 at 10:06 am by Gh0s7, 84 views, 2 comments
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (2)
at 10:27 on September 22nd, 2008
Totally in keeping with the announced aims of the Taliban war on Pakistan
- reply
John Barltett (not verified)at 14:10 on September 22nd, 2008
Pakistani leaders seem to out of sync with their nation. They are eager to lend support to US government to get money and military gear. People on the other hand are more concerned with their well being and looking for policies to improve quality of life. People feel Pakistan's support for US war on terror is producing economic downturn.
John
Houston