Suicide Bomber Targets Police in Pakistan's Capital

By Ayaz Gul

Islamabad

06 July 2008

Authorities in Pakistan say a suicide bomber has killed at least 15people and injured more than 22 others in a central part of the country'scapital city. Most of the victims were policemen. Ayaz Gul reportsfrom Islamabad.

The suicide bomber struck a group of policemenwho were guarding a big meeting of Islamic activists in the center ofthe Pakistani capital.

The religious gathering was marking theone-year anniversary of a military crackdown on Islamabad's radical RedMosque, just few hundred meters away.

Witnesses say most of the deaths happened instantly and body parts, pools of blood as well as police caps littered the scene.

Atop official at the federal Interior Ministry, Kamal Shah, says theattack is being investigated, but he dismissed criticism poor securityarrangements led to the deadly bombing

"An individual comingand exploding himself, blowing up himself is difficult to prevent,"said Kamal Shah. "This has happened in other countries of the world. It is not [happening] only in Pakistan."

Speaking at a ceremonyin the southern city of Karachi hours after the blast, President PervezMusharraf condemned it as a terrorist act.

"I condemn that withall my force and I must say that this nation has to show resolve tofight such extremism and terrorism and defeat it," said PervezMusharraf.

Doctors have described conditions of some of those wounded in the attack as critical, saying the death toll could go up.

Thesuicide bombing occurred just after several-thousand participants ofthe religious gathering started dispersing. The crowed had gathered tocondemn the army raid on the Red Mosque complex that killed more than100 people on July 10 last year.

Speakers at the meetingcriticized President Pervez Musharraf for ordering the assault underpressure from the United States. The protesters chanted anti-Musharrafand anti-American slogans.

Pro-Taliban militants supportive ofthe radical mosque unleashed a wave of deadly suicide bombings acrossPakistan in the past year to avenge the operation. Most of the victimsof the violence have been security personnel.

The crackdownagainst the mosque was launched after its clerics and religiousstudents ignored official warnings to end their violent campaign toenforce Taliban-style rule in parts of the Pakistani capital. Theextremists kidnapped women they accused of prostitution, including someChinese nationals, and warned traders against running music and videoshops.