PAKISTANI intelligence agencies believe Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida network is preparing to unleash a wave of suicide attacks around the world.
The terrorists had hundreds of men ready to die in attacks on the United States and its allies, the Dawn newspaper reported a day after a suicide bomber killed 14 people, including 11 French nationals and three Pakistanis in Karachi.
”The attack has all the hallmarks of a well trained international terrorist organisation,” Interior Secretary Tasneem Noorani was quoted as saying.
”This kind of operation is not carried out by terrorist organisations operating within the country.”
Intelligence sources were quoted as saying al-Qaida’s cells could be activated at short notice and had spread away from the main theatre of war in Afghanistan.
Pakistan had become a prime target for its cooperation with the US-led war against terrorism.
Twenty-three people were wounded when the bomb shredded a minibus just before 8:00 am (0200 GMT), scattering body parts and damaging nearby buildings.
French armed forces chief of staff General Jean-Pierre Kelche said on Wednesday there was a ”significant likelihood” that al-Qaida was responsible.
He said the bombers had targeted the West in general and specifically countries participating in the US-led multinational coalition fighting al-Qaida and Taliban extremists in Afghanistan.
In Pakistan, which is a key Western ally in the war on
terrorism, Sindh provincial police chief Kamal Shah said: ”We cannot rule out the involvement of al-Qaida … We will investigate the possible involvement of al-Qaida.”
Foreigners appear to be in increasing danger in Pakistan following September 11 as al-Qaida fighters are thought to slip across the border to escape the US-led war in Afghanistan, to which France has contributed Mirage jet bombers.
Wednesday’s blast — the worst ever attack on foreigners in Pakistan –followed a grenade attack at a church in Islamabad in March in which an American diplomat’s wife and stepdaughter were among five killed.
It coincided with the resumption of the trial of four radical Muslims accused of kidnapping and murdering US reporter Daniel Pearl earlier this year.
The massive explosion in this southern port city destroyed the Pakistan navy bus, blew out the windows of buildings 100 metres away and left a large crater on the ground outside the luxury hotel.
Pieces of the alleged bomber remained in the mangled car, which was blown 50 metres away by the force of the blast.
”The bus is littered with blood and human parts and metal is scattered everywhere,” said Sheraton hotel employee Mohammad Aqeel.
”On both sides it is devastating damage. I can see the front of the Pearl Continental and I can’t see any glass on any of the windows. There are shops in front of the hotel and they have all been blown away.” ? Sapa-AFP