Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf appeared on state television on Thursday hours after the second attempt on his life and blamed cowardly "terrorists" for the suicide bombing attack.
| That's because they tried to "kill him." |
Musharraf, who appeared well and unruffled, told state-run Pakistan Television it was unclear exactly who was responsible for the afternoon attack on his motorcade in the city of Rawalpindi that damaged his car and killed 14 people, but added: "Certainly they are terrorists, extremists...They are endangering Islam."
| Perhaps you should wipe them out, then? |
He said his car came under attack when he was returning home from a meeting of ministers of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference. "A suicide bomber first attacked me, but thank God nothing happened to us and we moved ahead," he said, adding that another car then tried to attack his armoured Mercedes. "I am sorry that 14 people lost their lives and more than 40 were wounded," he said. "They lost their lives because of me." Musharraf said some people had said there had been a big security lapse, but he did not want to make any hasty comments.
| Somebody got paid, and somebody else is on the other side... |
"These are suicide bombers and to check them is not easy. They are like mobile bombs," he said. "People protect me by risking their lives. They are loyal. If there is a lapse by some individual, we will look into it. But we should not take steps in haste."
| You've been boomed twice in two weeks. I'd make a little haste, I think... |
Musharraf brushed aside concerns about a security threat to regional leaders including Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee who are due to attend a 4-6 January summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation in Islamabad.
| Oh, that should be great fun. Wonder what Hafiz Saeed has on tap for that? |
"It is targeted bombing and I am the target," he said. "People around me are in some danger, but others are not. We are fighting against terrorism. We will continue to fight it. It is my mission to take this country forward." He said those who planned attacks from the safety of hideouts were "cowards".
| Don't worry about it too much, Perv. You only extend them moral support. |
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