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| India-Pakistan | ||
| 'Suicide squads hole up in Islamabad mosque' | ||
| 2007-06-30 | ||
| Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said on Friday suicide bombers from an al-Qaeda-linked militant group are holed up in a mosque in the centre of the capital, Islamabad. Authorities have been locked in a tense standoff for months with clerics and students associated with Lal Masjid, the Red Mosque, who are pushing for imposition of Taliban-style social values in Islamabad. Clerics at the mosque had threatened suicide attacks if government used force against them.
Musharraf, who survived two al-Qaeda-inspired assassination attempts, said the government had tried to resolve the standoff through negotiations to avoid bloodshed in the sprawling mosque complex, which also houses a religious seminary or madrasa. "Action is ready but timing is important," he said. "I am not a coward person but the issue is tomorrow you will say what have you done. There are women and children inside," he said.
In March, students abducted three Pakistani women they accused of running a brothel and held them for several days before forcing them to confess and releasing them. They have also abducted and briefly held policemen, and warned video shops to stop selling Western and Indian films they deemed obscene. They caused a huge embarrassment for the government last week when they abducted nine people, including six Chinese women, from a massage centre, accusing them of running a brothel. The detainees were released after about 17 hours. China is Pakistan's most steadfast ally and Chinese officials told the visiting Pakistani Interior Minister this week to better safeguard their nationals and businesses in Pakistan. Maulana Abdul Aziz, chief cleric of the mosque, said his followers would carry out suicide attacks if the government used force. | ||
| Posted by:lotp |
| #8 Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said on Friday suicide bombers from an al-Qaeda-linked militant group are holed up in a mosque in the centre of the capital, Islamabad, waiting for their respective flights to London. There fixed that editorial oversight. /pinch |
| Posted by: Jack is Back! 2007-06-30 12:48 |
| #7 Authorities have been locked in a tense standoff for months Mistake one. the government had tried to resolve the standoff through negotiations Mistake two. a campaign to remove mosques built illegally on state land. First positive, but ineffective, just bring a squad of Police and a couple of Bulldozers (Armored) or a Tank or two fitted with Engineers Blades. What Illegal, Built on Government land Mosque? All I see is a pile of rubble? |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2007-06-30 12:00 |
| #6 Would a 155MM go through the walls? If not, Then shoot thru a door.(Be sure) |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2007-06-30 11:50 |
| #5 Fire Mission... |
| Posted by: jds 2007-06-30 10:05 |
| #4 Just toss a 'nade inside and set off a chain reaction. Schaweet! |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-06-30 08:15 |
| #3 Blame President Bush. /msm |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2007-06-30 07:32 |
| #2 Starve them out. |
| Posted by: gorb 2007-06-30 05:28 |
| #1 Maulana Abdul Aziz, chief cleric of the mosque, said his followers would carry out suicide attacks if the government used force. Mosque blown up, problem solved. Just toss a 'nade inside and set off a chain reaction. |
| Posted by: Snereck de Medici6366 2007-06-30 02:25 |