Pakistan braces for more revenge attacks
3/05 15:15 CET
Pakistan has felt the first outburst of revenge from its domestic branch of al Qaeda, which promised revenge for the killing of Osama bin Laden. The double bomb blast in Charsadda killed at least 88 people, mostly police cadets. Now the government fears more, as it is being blamed for helping the USA.
“We, the Tehreeke Taliban Pakistan, claim responsibility for what happened. We believe the Pakistani police and army are not for protecting Muslims, but their mission is to finish off the Mujahideen,” said Pakistani Taliban spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan.
It was the worst attack of its kind in Pakistan this year, the two suicide bombers creating maximum carnage with explosive vests packed with ballbearings and nails. Another 120 people were wounded, and 10 vehicles were destroyed in the blasts.
Although the TTP’s heartland is in the northwest frontier provinces, it has carried out more than 450 suicide bombings all over Pakistan, claiming thousands of lives, since it affiliated with al Qaeda in 2007.
Anti-American sentiment is set to rise further, with 350 lawyers in Lahore taking to the streets today to condemn the US attack on their soil. One of them had a message for Washington: “You must abstain from all these bad activities and not commit these activities in Pakistan,” said Mohammad Yahya Johar.
The lawyers identified themselves as Islamist sympathisers, and held prayers for Osama bin Laden at the provincial High Court.
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