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The Pakistani nation extends its heartfelt sympathies to the Sri Lankan friends and Islamabad is very thankful for Colombo’s grand gesture of supporting Pakistani cricket by sending their team despite immense pressure from India.
As our hearts go out to the brave Sri Lankans who extended their hand of friendship to the Pakistani nation in their hour of trial, we hang our heads in shame as once again we see our friends suffer for their support to this nation. Through it all, there is a sense of dire foreboding that now prevails as we confront the growing shadows of a ruthless civilian authoritarianism. The News. Shireen Mazari
The Lankan Foreign Minister mentions the LTTE as a possible source of the terror on the Lankan cricketers. Since the LTTE is an Indian sponsored and Delhi created Frankenstein, the implication beyond the LTTE comment was that India was behind the terror attack on Pakistan. Pakistan has supported Sri Lanka against Indian aggression against it through its proxy the LTTE. Pakistani arms are mainly responsible for the gallant fight the Lankans are waging against the Delhi financed terrorist group which calls itself The Tamil Tigers.
Sri Lanka’s foreign minister, Rohitha Bogollagama, said he couldn’t rule out the possibility that Tamil Tiger rebels, which have been losing ground in the island nation’s protracted civil war, were involved, and called it the first “terrorist” attack on Sri Lankans abroad. Noting that responsibility for the investigation lay in Pakistan’s hands, he said that “we have confidence in Pakistan.” Christian Science Monitor
For obvious reasons, the The Lankan press and blogs are all claiming that India is behind the terror attack in Lahore. The Lankans should know, they have been the recepient of terror from India for more than a decade.
ISLAMABAD (AFP) — Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said Wednesday he could not rule out the possibility that Tamil Tigers were involved in the attack on his country’s cricket team in Lahore.
Seven Sri Lankan players, along with an assistant coach, were injured while eight Pakistanis, including six policemen, were killed in the attack launched as the team bus was heading to the stadium on Tuesday. The foreign minister, who flew to Lahore to oversee the team’s evacuation, met Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
“We do not rule out,” the involvement of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as they steadily lose territory to government forces, he told a joint news conference with Qureshi.
“Desperation of LTTE is something we are all looking at.”
The Sri Lankan cricket side was in Pakistan in place of the Indian team, which pulled out of a scheduled tour following the Mumbai attacks in November that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based militants. The foreign minister said the investigation into the Lahore attacks was the responsibility of Pakistan and that “we have confidence in Pakistan.” Qureshi said Pakistan had set up a special investigation committee which had “carried out very good work in very short time” but he refused to elaborate. The attack on the island nation’s team was the first “terrorist” attack on Sri Lankans abroad, Bogollagama said.
However he was quick to declare Pakistan “our friend”.
During his meeting with Gilani, he said that in cooperation with friendly countries like Pakistan, his government “would ensure that the LTTE terrorist?s designs to find sanctuaries abroad are foiled,” a statement said. The meeting was attended by senior defence and interior ministry officials, including chief of military intelligence, Lieutenant General Ahmad Shuja Pasha, the statement said.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EInswGXPOo&eurl=http://ahmedquraishi.com/&feature=player_embedded]
As the authorities made remarkable progress in the Sri Lankan attack, initially considered to be a blind case, investigations show that the amount of money supplied, the type of weapons used, the sophistication applied and the planning of this strike was such that it clearly had the signatures of some international spy agencies, including RAW.
While there are quite a few unique things observed by the investigators in this case, the authorities are simply surprised to detect that a fake Nadra ID card captured by the police and belonging to one of the attackers had all the security features available on the genuine Nadra cards.
According to a source, in order to prepare such a fine Nadra card, dies similar to those acquired by the Security Printing of Pakistan from Switzerland were used. An investigating officer said that the Switzerland-based competing brand of the firm, which had provided these special dies to Pakistan, were approached to make a perfect copy of Nadra cards that were in use of the terrorists, all of whom had escaped after the Liberty attack.
All the security features, hologram, ink and dies, everything was perfect. However, the only slip found was the signature of the former Nadra chairman Salim Moeen instead of the incumbent Ali Arshad Hakeem.
The date of issue of this ID card coincided with the tenure of Hakeem but it had the name of Moeen. The ID card was found by the Lahore police from one of the car dealers from whom the attackers had purchased three rickshaws and two cars.
None of these vehicles was snatched. All were purchased from the market for which the same ID card was used. The police secured the sale-purchase details of all these vehicles and found that in one case, the fake ID card used was deposited with one of the dealers while in all other cases photocopies of the same card were submitted. All the three rickshaws and two vehicles were merely used to reach the Liberty area as the attackers abandoned them while fleeing from the site of the terrorist attack.
In yet another smart move, the attackers, 10 in number, and their two handlers, purchased new mobile sets and SIMs by using the photocopies of genuine ID cards belonging to different people, none of whom had any connection with this terrorist network. None of them knew of the purchase of mobile SIMs, acquired by using the copies of their cards.
Details acquired from the concerned cellular networks also reveal that all the calls made or received from these 12 SIMs were only to each other. None of these SIMs either made or received any call from any other outside number.
Amongst the weapons used by these attackers, the authorities got hold of four anti tank disposable rockets of the same make, which are only in the use of the Indian Army. Two of these rockets were fired by the attackers while the other two remained unused. It is relevant to mention here that the Crime Investigation Department (CID), Punjab, had precisely warned the provincial government on January 22, 2009 about the RAWís plan to target the Sri Lankan cricket team during its visit to Pakistan.
The CID, while referring to a source report, had clearly said that this terrorist attack would be carried out especially while the Sri Lankan team would be traveling ìbetween the hotel and stadium or at hotel during their stayî. What the whole world saw on March 3, precisely happened the same way. Ansar Abbasi
Shireen Mazari, a defense and security expert on the scene proffers the following logic that the attackers must be from India
There can be nothing but condemnation for the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore. Both Pakistanis and Sri Lankans have been living with the effects of terrorism in their countries and perhaps that is why only the Sri Lankans had the magnanimity to come and play cricket in Pakistan at a time when no other cricketing team was willing to take the risk. And to the eternal shame of all Pakistanis, we failed to protect them. In the process we have gone back to square one and it is unlikely that any international sporting event will take place in Pakistan in the near future.
But there are disturbing questions that arise in the immediate aftermath. The first is the targeting of the Sri Lankans – a nation that has been close to Pakistan and a state that has had a quiet but firmly entrenched relationship with us. Like the attacks on the Chinese working here, who has the most to gain by targeting the Sri Lankans? Certainly no Pakistani. But India and our other enemies certainly will make political gains. Interestingly, the incident has come soon after the Naval Chief’s statement casting doubts on the Rehman Malik investigation dossier on Mumbai, which upset the Indians. So is this attack a mere coincidence in terms of timing?
The question that must be examined honestly is whether this is a natural follow-on from the terrorism linked to FATA and Swat, or is it a continuation of Mumbai or is it something new that is conveniently being linked to the former two? It is too early to give a definitive answer but it does not seem to have any linkage or bearing to FATA or Swat – otherwise why was the first match not targeted? In connection with Mumbai, the only connection is the role of RAW given the timing of the attack and the setback to Pakistan’s image recovery after Mumbai.
This act of terrorism also gives more opportunities to the US to conduct more direct military operations within Pakistan on the pretext that the Pakistani government is unable to deal with the terrorist menace. Of course, their role in exacerbating the terrorist problem in the first place is never touched upon. The News. Shireen Mazari.
The Pakistani press was pretty fairly balanced on the issue:
Interior Adviser Rehman Malik told newsmen in Islamabad he could not rule out a “foreign hand” behind the carnage. The Foreign Office spokesman in Islamabad refrained from directly blaming India while condemning the attack, saying the assault was perpetrated by the enemies of the Pak-Sri Lankan friendship. However, many of the Pakistani hawks, like the former ISI chief Gen (retd) Hameed Gul, were quick to blame the Indian Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) for staging a tit-for-tat attack to avenge the Mumbai assault, saying India wanted Pakistan to be declared a terrorist state.
On the other hand, a senior PPP MNA from Sindh Nabeel Gabol has blamed India in so many words for having carried out Tuesday’s attack on the Sri Lankan team. Gabol, while speaking on the Geo television, said: ìThe Lahore incident was a replay of the 26/11 attack and most likely carried out by Indian intelligence agents. I am saying so because of the fact that those investigating the gory incident have already recovered some Indian-made weapons as well as food items from the crime scene.”
In a related development, there were reports that former Inspector General of Punjab Shaukat Javed, who was sent home after the imposition of governor’s rule, had warned the provincial authorities in an official communiquÈ on Jan 22, 2009 that the RAW agents in Pakistan might target the Sri Lankan cricket team during its tour to Pakistan. The News. Who is to blame for the 3/3 incident? Wednesday, March 04, 2009. Amir Mir
It is beyond comprehension that anyone can deny the clear and total involvement of the Indians in this attack either through their own men or thorough their LTTE proxies.
“Since the LTTE is connected with all other terrorist groups in the world this could be their work with the assistance of another terrorist group.” Sri Lanka Cabinet spokesman Anura Priyadarshana Yapa,
President Obama also believe that the purpose of the attack was to harm Lankan-Pakistani relations.
The U.S. State Department too condemned the attack, which was the first deadly attack targeted a foreign sports team in Pakistan.
“We condemn this vicious attack on innocent civilians but also on the positive relations that Pakistan and Sri Lanka are trying to enjoy,” said deputy spokesman Gordon Duguid. “This is an attack on peaceful, normal relations, and we utterly condemn this terrorist attack
The gunmen were masked and carried on a military style operation which was unsuccessful hostage taking attempt. What were the masks hiding? These terrorists were dressed in jeans and sneakers–not regular clothes worn by the Pakistani common man. The prompt action of the Pakistani security personnel saved the lives of all the Lankans and they were whisked away to safety.
Terrorism has hit at the core of what Pakistanis across class, ethnic and political divide love–the game of cricket. In unleashing a professionally planned and executed terrorist attack targeting the Sri Lankan players in Lahore’s Liberty Market area, the terrorists have hugely damaged international cricket in Pakistan. The genuinely uniting and delightful activity for the Pakistani nation, cricket, has taken a serious blow.
But even in this terrible moment we must be grateful for what has not happened. Our prized guests, the Sri Lankan cricketers, but for minor injuries, are all safe.
Pakistanis are relived that they went home safely. We again register our deep appreciation for their decision to break the international consensus against playing cricket in Pakistan because of security reasons. They rejected the advice of other countries like Australia, England and India that they not travel to Pakistan. We thank them for their solidarity with Pakistan at a time when Pakistan goes through a testing time within and outside.
But no less must we thank our own true heroes. Our heroes are those eight policemen who gave their own lives to ensure that our Sri Lankan guests return home safely. These eight heroes died in the line of duty. They died with their boots on. We salute them. It is only because the families of these heroes have suffered the loss of their most precious sons, brothers, fathers and husbands that our Sri Lankan guests are alive. The government, the cricket associations and affluent Pakistanis owe these families the support that would make up for the irreparable and tragic loss. Nasim Zehra. The News
Asked what he was thinking as the attack happened, he said: “The thought that the Sri Lankans are guests and my country’s image will be ruined if any of the players got seriously hurt spurred me. I kept my foot on the accelerator and drove the bus.”
Sri Lanka’s cricketers have credited Mr Khalil, a Pakistani national, with saving their lives. Mahela Jayawardene, the team captain, and manager Brendon Kuruppu, were full of praise for the driver. “I was on the phone from Sri Lanka when I saw men coming towards us and started firing. It could have been worse but all praise to the driver, who kept his cool and drove us out of danger,” Kuruppu said. Jayawardene said that Mr Khalil was the saviour. “He did not think for his life. He was wise enough to keep driving and took us to the stadium. It could have been fatal,” the skipper said The UK Times
10 gunmen in India kept the entire city of Mumbai hostage. 12 gunmen in Lahore were prevented from taking anyone hostage. The Lankan cricketers are safe and sound in their homes. Several Pakistani Police gave up their lives to save the Lankans. This is not the first time that Pakistanis have given blood for Lanka and it won’t be the last.
“It’s all too obvious that it is the handiwork of the Indian intelligence,” General (Retd) Hamid Gul.
The Pakistan CID (Crime Investigation Department) had dispatched a warning on January 22nd 2009 that India’s intelligence agency would try to attack the Lankan cricket team.
India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) “has assigned its agents the task to target Sri Lankan cricket team during its current visit to Sri Lanka, especially while travelling between the hotel and stadium.”
It appears to be signed by Malik Muhammad Iqbal, the additional Inspector General of Police, CID Punjab. When contacted by The Times, Mr Iqbal declined to confirm or deny the authenticity of the report. “That is something which has been leaked,” he said. “I cannot comment on intelligence matters.” Other Punjab police officials declined to comment. UK Times
Colombo rebuffs Indian pressure. Pakistan Cricket tour on track. We reported the story of irked Bharatis about Lnakan cricket with Pakistan. Our breaking news stories about RAW has inspired thousands of readers from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, US and the world over to throng to our site. Anatomy of Indian Intelligence Services and Alliances. Rupee News also has had several dozen articles on RAW and their design from 1968 to the present time. India admits to supporting LTTE terrorists in Sri Lanka! Pakistan to continue to help Lanka crush the Tamil Tigers. Rupee News has exposed RAW activities in Pakistan and through our other South Asian columnists in India, Bangaldesh and Nepal. Understanding Nehru’s India Doctrine
The tragedy and the shock of the Liberty Roundabout incident notwithstanding, the terrorist attacks come as no bolt from the blue. With a region, and indeed the country, so exposed to the threat of terrorism, the fear of such an incident continues to be present in our consciousness. Pakistan remains vulnerable to terrorism because of three factors. One, because the existing battles among our own home-grown militias; two, because of the militia-military battles within Afghanistan; and, three, because of being the logistical and the strategic mainstay of the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). Nasim Zehra. The News.
STATE OWNED INDEPENDENT TELEVISION NETWORK SAYS LTTE IS BEHIND THE LAHORE ATTACK OF SRI LANKA CRICKETERS By Walter Jayawardhana
Suspected gunmen firing in Lahore
The state owned Independent Television Network of Sri Lanka, the country’s premier television channel said in its night time news bulletin that the country’s separatist terrorists, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who are currently engaged with the island nation’s security forces could be behind the attack on the Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore.
Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, the cabinet spokesman said , “Since the LTTE is connected with all other terrorist groups in the world this could be their work with the assistance of another terrorist group.”
The attack has shocked the sports world since this is the first time sportsmen have been directly attacked since the Munich Olympic massacre of Israeli athletes by the Palestenian terrorists.
Yapa further said he wholeheartedly condemned the attack on the cricketers as a cowardly act by the terrorists.
During the morning hours of March 3 , CCTV cameras near the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore show that at least 12 gunmen who came in two vehicles attacked the coach carrying the Sri Lanka national team of cricketers who were arriving for a test match with AK-47 rifles, rocket launchers and grenades. Altogether 35 people were injured including six cricketers with a coach and killed five Pakistani policemen.
The country’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was on a three day state visit to Nepal , despatched his foreign minister Rohitha Bogollagama to Pakistan to arrange for the immediate and safe return of the injured cricketers to Sri Lanka and cut short his visit to Nepal to return to Sri Lanka .
Minister Yapa said that the incident has certainly not harmed the close friendship with Pakistan . He thanked Pakistan for care it has shown for the cricketers.
In a separate statement issued from Kathmandu President Mahinda Rajapaksa condemned the act of terrorism on the Sri Lankan cricketers.
After arriving in Pakistan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said it is indeed a sad day for cricket. India ’s External affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee also issued a statement condemning the act.
The coach containing the Sri Lankan cricket team was ambushed when the terrorists who came in two white coloured vans when the coach and the the other vehicles coming to the Gaddafi Stadium were slowing down at a round about. Eye witnesses said a rocket was fired at the coach but it missed. A grenade thrown underneath the vehicle apparently exploded seconds after the coach went over the grenade. But the coach showed heavy damage by bullet marks of the AK-47 rifles which were constantly fired at it.
The Police was also able to discover a large haul of arms and ammunition from the vehicles in which the terrorists came.
Sri Lankan authorities said, none of the injuries received by the cricketers were life threatening.
Batsmen Tharanga Paranavitana and Thilan Samaraweera suffered gunshot wounds, according to the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Four more players — team captain Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Suranga Lakmal, Thilina Thushara — and assistant coach Paul Fabrece were reportedly hurt by glass shrapnel.
The terrorists who came to attack the Sri Lankan team also had prepared other methods of attacking the Sri Lankan team. Pakistani security men defused one car bomb set to explode near the Liberty Square where the ambush took place and another at Firdus carpark close to the place. The two car bombs have been defused by the Police bomb disposal unit. Grenades, three kilograms of explosives, a pistol and a one-metre detonating cable had been also recovered by the police from the same place.
Sri Lankans have faced attacks from the Indian sponsored terrorist organization LTTE for a decade. The face direct terror from Delhi. Now the Lankans faced terror in Pakistan.
- Dhaka Dairy: RAW vs ISI by Prem Raj
- Dhaka Diary: RAW 2008: An Instrument of Indian Imperialism by Isha Khan Dhaka Bangladesh
- BOOK REVIEW: The India Doctrine by Munshi
- http://rupeenews.com/2008/01/20/bla-a-threat-to-international-peace-by-ahmad-shah-baloch-the-bla-is-the-creation-of-indian-intelligence-agencies-which-are-trying-to-create-instability-in-the-areas-bordering-iran-and-afghanista/
Pakistan has a faced a concerted campaign of sabotage and destabilization over the past few months. The viscous Chan Akyan New Delhi strategy is based on brinkmanship and deceit. Any attack on India will be transformed into a global crisis, and India will continue to do its sabotage in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Lanka under one guise or another. During the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, both the KGB and RAW had free reign in Pakistan to blow up building and civilian targets. None of these crimes against humanity deterred the Pakistanis from waging the war against the USSR, defeating them and then driving them out of Afghanistan. Today Pakistanis face a similar campaign of bombing and sabotage from RAW.
The people’s spirit in Pakistan is undefeatable and it is indefatigable. As a nation we have faced the most difficult, the most testing times, only to bounce back. This crisis too will, Insha Allah, pass. But where we remain caught in a vicious whirlpool is in Pakistan’s power politics. If the politically ambitious army mutilated our polity and political systems the blundering politicians are wasting the opportunities they get to set things right. Nasim Zehra. The News
