Suicide bomb attack on Islamabad police station slaughters 15

Published on Sunday 6 July 2008 21:57

A SUICIDE bomber struck near a police station in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, yesterday, killing at least 15 people, mostly police officers, and wounding dozens more, officials said.

The blast happened in a kiosk in front of the police station, which is also near the Melody Market shopping area.

Television footage showed wounded security force officers being taken away and ambulances rushing to the area.

Body parts and shattered glass were strewn as far as 50 yards from the scene.

Interior ministry chief Rehman Malik said that, based on eyewitness accounts, the attacker was a man in his mid-30s who ran into the crowd of police officers.

Imtiaz Khan, the casualty medical officer at Federal Government Services Hospital, said at least 36 injured people were admitted there, nearly all security officials.

He said two had died, while a further 12 were in a critical condition.

The blast came as thousands of Islamists gathered about half a mile away to mark the one-year anniversary of a deadly military crackdown on the radical pro-Taleban Red Mosque.

It was not known if the events were linked.

Kamal Shah, the interior ministry secretary, denied that the bombing was a result of poor security for the Red Mosque gathering, at which many people called for Islamic law and demanded the hanging of President Pervez Musharraf.

Security arrangements made for the anniversary ceremony were "absolutely comprehensive," he said, noting that "nothing happened to the participants of the gathering".

The Red Mosque was held under siege one year ago amid an increasingly violent anti-vice campaign fronted by mosque leaders in which roaming bands of students harassed music and video shops, sometimes kidnapping women accused of being prostitutes.

Tensions boiled over into gun battles with security forces trying to enforce government authority.

Mohammed Amir Siddiq, a spokesman for the Red Mosque, denounced yesterday's suicide attack and said he did not know if any of those at the anniversary gathering were wounded.

"This is a very tragic and condemnable incident," he said.

Mr Siddiq added that the mosque held prayers for victims of the bombing after regular evening prayers.