September 2007 bombings in Rawalpindi

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The 4 September 2007 Rawalpindi bombings refer to the incident on 4 September 2007 in which suicide bombers attacked a bus carrying Government workers in a commercial district of Rawalpindi. It is estimated to have killed 25 people and injured 68. [1] Police increased security in the nearby Pakistani capital of Islamabad. [2]

Contents

Events

The bombs exploded after 7:20 am near the army General Headquarters and other top military sites. One attack was aimed at a Defence Ministry bus picking up army staff passengers and an explosives-laden motorcycle caused the second attack, near a market. [3]

Bus attack

At 7:20 am, the front of a bus carrying army staff passengers exploded, blowing off the vehicle's roof and destroying all but the rearmost seats. [4] Although Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema referred to the attack as a suicide bombing, a local police officer stated the bomb might have been previously planted. [2]

Motorcycle

Approximately fifteen minutes after the first blast, a suicide bomber crashed a motorcycle into nearby vehicles, killing at least one colonel. [4]

Suspects

Preliminary investigations concerning the September 2007 bombings in Rawalpindi note that the Taliban figure Baitullah Mehsud is the primary suspect behind the attacks. [5]

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References

  1. Twin blasts kill 25 in Rawalpindi Archived 20 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine . The Pioneer, 5 September 2007
  2. 1 2 Zaidi, Mubashir; Henry Chu (4 September 2007). "Pakistani capital on high alert after attacks". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 4 September 2007.[ dead link ]
  3. "25 killed in Rawalpindi blasts", The Hindu , 5 September 2007
  4. 1 2 Waraich, Omar; Saeed Shah (4 September 2007). "Pakistani army hit as suicide bombers kill 25". The Independent . London. Archived from the original on 21 September 2007. Retrieved 4 September 2007.
  5. Baitullah Mehsud behind attacks in Rawalpindi Archived 31 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine , Daily India