Bombing Of The Marriott Hotel In Pakistan -- Updates

Policemen stand in front of the Marriott hotel in Islamabad September 21, 2008. A suicide truck bomber attacked the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad on Saturday, killing at least 43 people, wounding nearly 250 and starting a fire that swept through the building in the Pakistani capital. (Faisal Mahmood/Reuters)

Pakistani President And PM Just Miss Hotel Bomb Blast
-- The Guardian

The new Pakistani president, Asif Ali Zardari, and his prime minister were due to dine at the Marriott hotel on the night it was devastated by a huge truck bomb, it was revealed today.

An interior ministry spokesman, Rehman Malik, said Zardari and Yousaf Raza Gillani had changed their plans at the last minute and decided to meet at the prime minister's house instead.

Malik declined to elaborate on why the decision was made.

News of the near miss for Zadari and Gillani came as British Airways halted all flights to Pakistan because of security fears raised by Saturday night's bombing in Islamabad.

"We have temporarily suspended our flight operations in Pakistan," a BA spokesman said. "The safety of our customers, crew and aircraft is of paramount importance."

The last flight to Islamabad, the only Pakistani destination served by BA, left yesterday.

Read more ....

More News And Commentary On Pakistan

Pakistan leaders in narrow hotel bomb escape -- AFP
Change of plans saved Pakistani leaders from blast -- AP
Dinner plans save Pakistan's rulers from hotel bomb attack -- CNN
Pakistani leaders 'should have been at bombed hotel -- Times Online
Change of plans 'saved' Pakistan leaders from blast -- ABC News (Australia)
Pakistan leaders' 'narrow escape' -- BBC News
6 Britons injured as 53 die in Pakistan truck bombing -- Scotsman
Pakistan blast toll rises to 53; 2 U.S. service members among the dead -- LA Times
Two US marines among dead in Pak. blast -- The Hindu
Al-Qaeda blamed as suicide bomber kills 53 at the Marriott hotel, Islamabad -- Times Online
Pakistan Security Officials Describe Hotel Attack -- Voice Of America
Waziristan link seen in attack on Marriott: Blast caused by RDX and TNT: Malik -- Dawn Internet
Al-Qaeda, TTP behind Marriott blast: Malik -- The News
Al Qaeda suspected of Pakistan's Marriott bombing -- Reuters
Pakistani Taliban suspected in Marriott Hotel blast -- Christian Science Monitor
Carnage: Pakistan's reality check -- Sydney Morning Herald
Terrorists' message for Zardari -- The Australian
Bloodshed of desperation becomes the real threat to Pakistan -- The Times Online
Pakistan blames Al-Qaeda for hotel bombing -- Breitbart
The gloves are off in Pakistan -- Asia Times
Marriott bombing in Islamabad must wake Pakistan up -- The Telegraph
Pakistan's contradictory faces -- Christian Science Monitor
Pakistan's double game -- Washington Times

My Comment: This was a clear assassination attempt on the leadership of Pakistan. The use of high grade explosives is also revealing a military link. While Al Qaeda and their Taliban allies are getting the blame for this attack, the use of explosives that only the military can have is indicative of where support for this attack may come from. This is a frightening prospect for the Pakistani Government .... it appears that major elements of their own military and intelligence services now want them dead.