Bomb blast in Islamabad kills at least 60, hundreds injured

[ManlyBanisters]

AFP: Al-Qaeda seen behind Pakistan carnage

ISLAMABAD (AFP) — Rescue teams hunted for survivors Sunday in the ruins of Islamabad's Marriott Hotel, where a massive truck bomb killed at least 60 people in what officials said looked like the work of Al-Qaeda.
Around 200 more were wounded in the suicide attack Saturday night in the heart of the capital, which came just hours after Pakistan's new president gave his inaugural address to parliament and vowed to stamp out terrorism.
The bombing also came on the one-year anniversary of Osama bin Laden's call for Pakistani Muslims to unleash jihad or holy war against the government, a vital ally in the US-led "war on terror" that has cracked down on militants.
The brazen attack appeared to have been timed to inflict maximum casualties, ripping through the hotel when it was packed with families having dinner to break the daily fast in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
"It has the hallmarks of Al-Qaeda," a senior official involved in the investigation told AFP. "It was an Al-Qaeda style bombing."

I think 60 is probably, unfortunately, on the conservative side of estimates for the fatalities. In fact they will probably never know - there were indistinguishable 'chunks of human flesh' strewn on the road near the blast, according to one report I read.

Not that any one human life is more important that others but among the dead is the Czech Ambassador:

Ambassador among hotel bomb victims - CNN.com

Most of the others known dead are Pakistani, it appears one Lithuanian and two Americans lost their lives as well.

 

[Drifterwood]

I wouldn't jump to any quick conclusions regarding responsibility for this act of terror. Pakistan has its own terror groups.

 

[Deno]

US incursions into pakistan didn't kill this many and there killing there own, I guess thats ok. Fucked up in the head Islamic extremists. Way after Pakistan breaks ties with the US this shit will continue. Alot is said about US stance on capital punishment, nothing is said of Public beheading done commonly by these horrible people.

 

[ManlyBanisters]

You know that is the kind of warped commentary I would expect of an Al-Qaeda sympathiser on hearing of something like the Oklahoma bombing.

Just a few points, FYI - All Muslems are not Al-Qaeda sympathisers, all Pakistanis are not Muslems, the death penalty in Pakistan is usually carried out by hanging - I don't know where you think you are coming from with 'public beheading'.

If you can't have some respect for the dead please stay off the thread.

 

[marleyisalegend]

This is just fucking awful. When I hear something like this I have to play Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" before I lose all faith in humanity.

 

[SteveHd]

Most of those killed were Pakistani. The hotel is owned by a Pakistani.

The group claiming "responsibility" is Pakistani.

I don't understand what their objective was. It makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[MarkLondon]

The radical Islamic groups are as much a threat to Islam as they are to "the west". They define us in the west as kaffirs, infidels or unbelievers. But moslems who don't follow their exact creed are also regarded as infidels or even worse, heretics. They don't seem to have regard for any human life, even their own.

It remains unclear to me, but it seems that the top levels of the government and military were supposed to have been at the hotel to break their Ramadan fast that evening, but switched to another venue at the last moment. So, apart from being a "spectacular", it could have been an attempt to topple the Pakistani state.

 

[marleyisalegend]

I don't understand what their objective was. It makes no sense whatsoever.

If there's one thing you can count on it's for murder to NOT make sense.:frown1:

 

[Krusader]

why can't we be friends???

 

[Drifterwood]

why can't we be friends???

Hi - looking forward to the Grand Prix.

That comment would make a great thread IMO in the ETC forum.

Just ask the question.