Peshawar hotel bombers first fired at guards

Footage captured by close circuit cameras minutes before the suicide attack on a five-star hotel in Peshawar shows terrorists storming the building’s compound after firing at the hotel guards.

The attackers, who drove up to the luxury hotel Pearl Continental’s gate in a white car and a mini truck shortly before 10.30 pm on Tuesday, opened fire after guards opened the gate and lowered a concrete barrier. The car and the truck then drove at high speed towards the parking lot of the hotel.

The CCTV footage, aired by Geo News channel, showed a flash caused by a massive explosion that followed minutes later and plumes of smoke rising into the air.

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://epaper.indianexpress.com/

Pakistan bomber targets Danish embassy, kills at least eight

At least eight persons were killed and 24 injured when a suicide bomber today blew up his explosive-laden car outside the embassy of denmark,near the indian high Commisioner's residence in the Pakistani residence in the Pakistani capital. No group claimed responsibility for the blast but security officals said the attack could be linked to the row over caricatures of the Propher published in Danish newspapers.

Witness said the car drove up and stopped outside the embassy in the upmarket sector F-6/2, where several diplomatic missions are located, shortly before the blast occured at about 1 pm.

"It was most likely a suicide blast, said islamabad SSP Ahmed Latif, Other officials said evidence collected from the site included body parts and ball bearings, Over 30 kg of explosives were packed in the car, they said.

To read the full article, click here...
To read the ePaper, visit: http://epaper.indianexpress.com

Joining the dots: Sketch, Avon bike, underwear in bomb wrap

As investigators grope in the dark after yesterday's eight blasts in Jaipur that have now killed 63 and injured 118, the one ray of light is the striking similarity they have found between the explosives used in Jaipur and the one used in the twin explosions in Hyderabad last August. A team from Andhra Pradesh Police is set to arrive in Jaipur to help in the probe.

Contrary to claims by the local police, agencies here maintain that use of RDX is still not confirmed. It's learnt that ammonium nitrate was the principal explosive in Jaipur with an ammonium-based gel, possibly Neogel 90, that was also used in the twin explosions at Gokul Chaat Bhandar and Lumbini Park, Hyderabad. Sources said no RDX was found in the unexploded device that was defused just in time by the local bomb squad.

The Indian Express spoke to several investigators in Jaipur and New Delhi and police officials and the following have emerged as key leads in the case:

• Each bomb had an average of 7.5 kg of explosives and shrapnel packed into it. The bombs proved more lethal as they were "directional chargers," meaning on explosion the impact was focused in a particular direction to inflict maximum damage - similar bombs were used in last year's Hyderabad blast at the Gokul Chaat Bhandar.

To read the full article, click here...
To read the ePaper, visit: http://epaper.indianexpress.com