Advisor to Prime Minister on Interior, Rehman Malik, has termed the suicide attack on the Islamabad Marriott Hotel as the biggest in the national history, confirming 53 people killed and 266 others wounded. The government has fixed RS 10 million as cash reward for people who would give information about the culprits involved in the Marriott Hotel truck-bomb explosion on Saturday.
Rehman said while addressing a press conference here on Sunday that the investigation team would reach some conclusion in the coming 24 hours. A videotape, recorded by the security cameras at Marriott Hotel entrance, just before the blast took place, was also released in the press conference. It showed a truck hitting the barriers at the main entrance of the hotel that caused panic among security guards.
He said that four foreigners were also among dead, while 12 others were still being treated in different hospitals of the metropolis.
He said that the investigators who examined the place of the blast had submitted preliminary report to the Ministry of Interior. The preliminary investigation revealed that that more than 600 kilograms TNT and RDX explosives and aluminium fodder were used in the attack--the biggest quantity ever used in the country for terrorist activities.
He said that the attack was a well-planned action to sabotage the economy and the country's progress, and ruled out any security lapse. He said that the government has constituted a joint investigation team with Director-General, Federal Investigation Agency (DG FIA) as its head. Officials from different law enforcement agencies (LEAs) are members of the team. The team is moving forward and the final report in this regard is expected to be presented by Monday.
He said that this continuous terrorism has left only two options with the government--either to crush them with full force, or hand over the country to them, Rehman said.
On security lapse in the Federal Capital, he said that big trucks of catering are regularly coming into Marriott Hotel, which was a reason that this truck went unchecked. It is not possible for security agencies to check each and every vehicle, he said. People behind these disastrous blasts are neither Pakistanis nor human beings and they have no link with any religion. He lauded the role of rescue workers, para-medics and doctors in this hour of need.
He said that the Interior Ministry has asked the provinces to enhance the intelligence network and review their security arrangements to avoid any such incident in future. They have been asked to make sure arrest of the culprits before they struck and cause men and material loss.
6 suspect held while fleeing: Meanwhile, the law enforcement agencies have arrested six suspects after the Marriott Hotel suicide bombing in Islamabad. The detained suspects, belonging to the tribal areas, were caught when they were trying to flee from the scene of bombing in injured state after the blast, Interior Ministry sources said. The arrested persons, between 30 to 38 years of age, have been transferred to undisclosed place and were being interrogated by the security agencies, sources said.
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