Suicide bomb plot foiled near capital

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Suicide bomb plot foiled near capital, Pakistan officials sayBy Munir Ahmad

The Associated Press

1:06 PM EDT, June 6, 2008

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan

Pakistan has foiled a major terror plot, seizing three bomb-laden vehicles and arresting three suspected suicide attackers near the capital just days after an al-Qaida-claimed assault on the Danish Embassy, officials said today.

Authorities ramped up security near the sprawling enclave where most foreign diplomatic missions in Islamabad are located. The U.S. Embassy strongly advised Americans to limit nonessential movement in the city and nearby Rawalpindi.

An Internet posting Thursday, purportedly from al-Qaida in Afghanistan, claimed responsibility for Monday's bombing outside the Danish Embassy that killed six people, including one Dane.

The terror group threatened to "rain" more attacks on countries where cartoons are published of the Prophet Muhammad. The images carried in various Danish and other Western newspapers over the past three years have sparked periodic unrest in the Muslim world.

Late Thursday, police and intelligence agents in Rawalpindi, about seven miles from Islamabad, arrested about six suspects including three suicide bombers, officials said.

The authorities seized three vehicles laden with more than 2,200 pounds of explosives, said Rao Mohammed Iqbal, the deputy inspector-general of Rawalpindi police.

"They (the suspects) had very destructive designs. They wanted to create mayhem on a wide scale," city police chief Nasir Durrani told The Associated Press.

He said that the arrested men were Pakistanis and that their targets included the camp office in Rawalpindi of President Pervez Musharraf, a longtime U.S. ally in its war on terror.

Pakistan's army also has its headquarters in the city.

Durrani said authorities were still investigating if the suspects had intended to target foreign embassies. He did not identify them or say whether they were affiliated to al-Qaida or any other militant group.

Starting late Thursday authorities tightened security around Islamabad's Constitution Avenue, where the presidential palace, parliament and other key government offices are located. The wide boulevard also flanks the fenced-in diplomatic enclave.

Numerous police were checking the identification documents of people entering the enclave, causing traffic jams, witnesses said.

Sweden, whose embassy lies in a leafy residential district near where the Danish mission was attacked -- just outside the diplomatic enclave -- said today it had increased security again in response to the arrests reported in Rawalpindi.

"I spoke to the ambassador a while ago, and although security was increased already on Monday, we have today increased it (even more) around both the embassy and the ambassador's residence," said Teo Zetterman, a foreign ministry spokesman in Stockholm.

Pakistani officials have said Monday's attack was launched by a suicide attacker in a car equipped with fake diplomatic registration plates. They have not identified the attacker.

It was the deadliest strike against Denmark since the publication of cartoons' first sparked unrest in early 2006. In February this year, Danish papers reprinted one drawing of Muhammad in a bomb-shaped turban, stirring more religious anger.

In Thursday's purported claim of responsibility, an al-Qaida commander in Afghanistan, Mustafa Abu al-Yazeed, said the embassy bombing was carried out by an al-Qaida martyr with help from Pakistani militants. He threatened more violence.

Prime targets would be embassies and diplomatic personnel in Pakistan from countries where cartoons were published, said Ben Venzke of IntelCenter, a U.S. group which monitors al-Qaida messages. Norway, the U.S. and all European Union member countries, including Denmark, were most at risk, he said.

The attack on the Danish mission was likely to add to Western unease over peace talks with militants launched by Pakistan's newly elected government to try to curb Islamic extremist violence.

The U.S. is worried the deals will give militants time and space to regroup in Pakistan's lawless tribal regions, where Taliban and al-Qaida are believed to find sanctuary.

Today, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi visited Afghanistan, which fears an escalation in Taliban attacks on its side of the border. He reiterated the government's assertion that it will not cut deals with "terrorists."

Associated Press Writers Asif Shahzad and Matthew Pennington contributed to this report.

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Suicide bomb plot foiled near capital, Pakistan officials say -- baltimoresun.com


Thank god.

[Flintlock]

Thank goodness.

[Interceptor]

Blasts in Multan
Updated at: 1417 PST, Saturday, June 07, 2008
MULTAN: Two blasts have been occurred in a house in Ghaziabad area of Multan on Saturday.

According to reports, heavy smoke has covered the area after the blasts and windowpanes of nearby buildings were smashed down. Police have encircled the house and found two bombs that are being defused. Other explosive materials and CDs have been also recovered from the house. Investigations are underway.

Blasts in Multan - GEO.tv


Just saw this bulletin this on GEO, another attempt foiled.

[vish]

2200 pounds of exploxives? Sorry for the profanity but WTF...

I guess the explosions in Multan were terrorists going wrong with their explosives when they were creating the bombs. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Flintlock]

2200 pounds of exploxives? Sorry for the profanity but WTF...

I guess the explosions in Multan were terrorists going wrong with their explosives when they were creating the bombs. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Man I don't know if that's funny or extremely scary, but they're transporting explosives on the scale of wheat and rice....

[kidwaibhai]

thank god that these crazies are now in custody. i am horrified to even imagine how much death and destruction would have taken place if these guys would have carried out there plans.

[Tiki Tam Tam]

It is good alertness and timely work of the Pakistani authorities to have foiled the terrorist attempt.

Terrorists must be defeated wherever they are!

The authorities do require to be congratulated.

[alibaz]

I don't know what they intend doing. on one side they are making pacts with government and conduducting this type of activities

[Cheetah786]

I don't know what they intend doing. on one side they are making pacts with government and conduducting this type of activities

Exactly
negotiating with Terrorist gets ya no where Terrorist just buying Time have no interest in Peace you see if they make there living out of killing people making peace and actually holding on to there part of the deal will simply put them out of business.

[BATMAN]

Explosives seized near Pakistan capital

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan authorities seized two vehicles carrying about 2,200 pounds of explosives, foiling a possible terror plot near Pakistan's capital, officials said.

Senior police officer Rao Mohammed Iqbal told The Associated Press that several suspects were arrested in the operation late Thursday in the garrison city of Rawalpindi — just days after a suicide car bombing against the Danish Embassy here killed six people.

Two security officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media, said Friday at least three men were arrested and were being questioned by civil and military authorities in Rawalpindi.
Don't we see how some biased media try to hide the links by adding confusing information and deleting any such information which may lead to establishing links?

The men were suspected of wanting to target "sensitive installations," the officials said. Iqbal said the operation had "foiled possible terrorist attacks" but provided no details.

Rawalpindi houses the headquarters of Pakistan's army and the residence of President Pervez Musharraf, a longtime U.S. ally in its war on terror.

Iqbal, the deputy inspector-general of Rawalpindi police, said the two vehicles were laden with explosives, but did not say whether they had been rigged up to detonate.

Also on Thursday, an Internet posting purportedly from al-Qaida in Afghanistan, claimed responsibility for Monday's bombing outside the Danish Embassy and threatened to "rain" more attacks on countries where cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad are published.

The attack was the deadliest strike against Denmark since the publication of cartoons in newspapers there and other Western countries sparked violent unrest across the Muslim world. In February, Danish papers reprinted one drawing of Muhammad in a bomb-shaped turban.

Rawalpindi lies about seven miles from Islamabad.

It is clearly a case of target killing just like the case of General Mushtag Baig.
I seiez to believe that notorious elements hiding in voids have ability to organise and run sophisticated intelligence outfits.
All the arrests came about by random checking. I wonder why the perparators believed they can attack President and important security installations.
Some one clearly out there who is desperate of removal of President Musharraf from the scene and we should expect to see all hook and crook means in next comming days.
Some one clearly know the lapse in the security of President Musharraf and security installations and important buildings.
Remember the attacks on FIA building and safe house in Lahore!
I think its time to review the security plan and change complete staff.
Are we not witnessing much more organised attacks since indian army got involved in Afghanistan.
Do we not always face a tit for tat response when ever their is a bomb blast in india. Don't we know that india always blame Pakistan for every thing and if they believe so than what do you think we should expect comming?
I have no doubts to declare Danish embassy attack as a result of Jaypur blasts, for which hundreds of indian Muslims were arrested for their alleged links with Pakistan.

[Interceptor]

Man I don't know if that's funny or extremely scary, but they're transporting explosives on the scale of wheat and rice....

Its hate, as long as Musharraf is in power the extremist will attack Pakistanis, musharraf is an agent, and when ever he appears after a few days some one in Pakistan is killed by extremist for instance the dinner that the PM and the other gov officials had with Musharraf an immediate response took place.

[Interceptor]

I don't know what they intend doing. on one side they are making pacts with government and conduducting this type of activities

The Government is doing pacts with politocal forces e.g. Bugti clan and so on Pakistan wont neogotiate with terrorist that is for sure.

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Exactly
negotiating with Terrorist gets ya no where Terrorist just buying Time have no interest in Peace you see if they make there living out of killing people making peace and actually holding on to there part of the deal will simply put them out of business.

By killing Bugti we resolved little by allowing US to use our country as a haunting ground resolved little, if the army attacks the extremist attack Pakistanis give me a reason why you think that is fine. The neogotiations have turned out to be good there is been fewer attacks on Pakistanis. The culprits have been caught and they will be questioned, this might be a rogue group taking revenge.