Friday, July 2, 2010

Explosions at shrine in Pakistan kill dozens

Explosions

The death toll climbed to 50 on Friday after a pair of suicide bombers detonated their explosives vests at one of Pakistan's holiest shrines, police said.
A third explosion occurred outside the Data Darbar shrine complex. More than 200 were injured in Thursday's attack.

Lahore Commissioner Khusro Pervez said the remains of the bombers -- a man in his 20s and another in his late teens -- were recovered after the blasts, which occurred at the Data Darbar shrine complex.

One of the bombers detonated in the shrine's courtyard; the other in the shrine's lower lever, according to Chaudary Shafiq Ahmed, Lahore's senior police superintendent.
The first explosion, which occurred at 10:48 p.m. (1:48 p.m. ET) Thursday, was followed five minutes later by a second blast, Geo TV reported.

The CNN affiliate aired surveillance footage showing the first attacker entering through a gate holding a bag. As he passed through a metal detector, alarms went off and the man ran toward an area used for ablutions and blew himself up.

Geo TV showed a second attacker entering amid the confusion a few minutes later and running upstairs carrying a bag. Then the video showed the explosion.

The third blast occurred outside the shrine. Its timing was not clear.

Geo TV reported that the heads of two bombers were recovered and identified. The bombers arrived at the shrine on foot wearing 10 kilogram (22 pound) jackets that had been packed with ball bearings, it said.
A witness told Geo TV that one of the bombers was wearing the traditional loose-fitting salwar kameez, a turban and slippers.

"This sickening poison of extremism will be driven out of our nation and we will not be cowed," said Farahnaz Ispahani, a spokeswoman for President Asif Ali Zardari, in a text message to CNN.

"Peaceful worshippers have once again been targeted by those who want to destroy the fabric of this great country. We will not forgive or forget and we will get justice for all Pakistanis murdered in cold blood -- be they Muslim, Christian, Ahmedi or of any other faith."

edition.cnn.com

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