The Hindu : 5 killed in grenade attack on church in Islamabad

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 18, 2002

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5 killed in grenade attack on church in Islamabad
By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, MARCH 17. In a clear challenge to the authority of the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, since his much-publicised January 12 address, terrorists struck inside a church here, killing five persons, including three foreigners, and injuring 45.

In a daring daylight attack, two persons barged into a church in the diplomatic enclave and hurled grenades at those who had gathered for service. Among the dead included the wife of an American diplomat and his daughter. The impact of the explosion was so devastating that the church resembled a battlefield with bloodstains and broken pieces of wood all over.

According to police, 10 Americans, 12 Pakistanis, five Iranians, an Iraqi, an Ethiopian and a German were among the injured. Seven of the injured, admitted to a local hospital, were stated to be in a serious condition.

Sri Lankan envoy injured

The Sri Lankan Ambassador to Pakistan and former Army chief, Sirilal Veerasurya, his wife and child and the wife of a Japanese diplomat were also among those injured. Mr. Veerasurya and his family were released from the hospital after treatment for minor injuries.

The attackers appear to have deliberately chosen the Protestant church, less than a km from where the embassies, including that of the United States, the United Kingdom, India, Russia and China, are located. There is little doubt that the Musharraf regime would have to do a lot of explaining on the security lapses which led to the strike.

The church was just a few yards from a housing society where a majority of the Indian High Commission staffers live. Tomy Mathew, staffer in the Indian mission, who was inside the church when the attack took place, managed to escape unhurt. ``The explosion occurred right in the middle of the gathering around 10.50 a.m. We were completely caught unawares...Within seconds, there was mayhem inside the church, with people screaming and running for shelter'', he said.

There were over 70 persons inside the church when the explosion occurred. According to eyewitness accounts, the attack was carried out from different entry points of the church. Police suspect that more than two persons were involved in the incident. The attackers are believed to have hurled six grenades, out of which three went off while the rest were recovered live. Within minutes after the attack, dozens of police surrounded the church.

Attackers dead?

The Senior Superintendent of Police, Nasir Khan, told presspersons that ``the attackers of the church may be included among the injured or dead as they had barged into the church and hurled four grenades which caused heavy casualties.''

Today's attack was the second incident involving a church in Pakistan since the September 11 terror attacks on the U.S., and the decision of the Musharraf Government to side with the U.S. in its war against the Al-Queda and the Taliban militia in Afghanistan.

Nefarious act: Musharraf

Gen. Musharraf has described the attack on the church as a ``ghastly act of terrorism.''

In a statement, he said: ``The nefarious act is aimed at sabotaging the interests of Pakistan at a time when the country is actively engaged in eliminating terrorism.'' He ordered security agencies to launch ``a coordinated hunt to track down the culprits involved in the dastardly attack.''

The U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, Wendy Chamberlin, said there were lessons to be learnt from the attack. She praised Gen. Musharraf and the U.S. President, George W. Bush, for their ``courageous'' decision to take on the extremist elements and maintained that they were ``absolutely right''.

She said, ``we would not give in to hate. We would not let them win in the U.S. and in Pakistan. We would not let them win anywhere''.

Bush ``outraged''

AFP reports:

Mr. Bush said in Washington today that he was ``outraged'' by the bomb attack on the church in Pakistan. ``I am outraged by the terrorist attack that took place today in Islamabad against innocent civilians,'' he said in a statement.

The British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, said in London that he was ``deeply shocked'' to hear of the attack.

Tragic, says India

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MARCH 17. India today described the grenade attack on the church in Pakistan as ``shocking, extremely tragic and most unfortunate''.

An External Affairs Ministry spokesman said, ``our hearts go out to the victims of the attack and their families''.

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