In what’s being called the worst attack on a sports team since Palestinian militants killed 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olymic games, gunmen with rifles, grenades and rocket launchers ambushed the Sri Lankan cricket team today in Lahore. Seven players, an umpire and a coach were wounded. Six Pakistani policemen and a driver for the Pakistan Cricket Board were killed.
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The attackers abandoned machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and plastic explosives…They carried backpacks stuffed with dried fruit, mineral water and walkie-talkies — provisions also abandoned at or near the scene, officials said.
Sri Lanka had agreed to this tour — allowing Pakistan to host its first test matches in 14 months — only after India and Australia backed out of scheduled trips over security concerns. The assault will end hopes of international cricket teams — or any sports teams — playing in the country for months, if not years.
Tuesday’s attack came three months after the Mumbai terror strikes that killed 164 people. Those raids were allegedly carried out by Pakistan militants, and the assault in Lahore resembled them in many respects. Both were coordinated, used multiple gunmen, apparently in teams of two, who were armed with explosives and assault rifles and apparently had little fear of death or capture.
Authorities will also consider possible links to Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger separatist rebels who are being badly hit in a military offensive at home, though Sri Lankan military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said it was unlikely the group was involved.
Two Sri Lankan players — Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavitana — were being treated for bullet wounds in a hospital but were stable…Umpire Ahsan Raza was hit in his abdomen…Team captain Mahela Jayawardene and four other players had minor injuries…British assistant coach Paul Farbrace also sustained minor injuries.
Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona said little could be done to stop such an attack, saying “there is never enough security to counter a well organized and determined terrorist group.” link
Update: Commenter pingpong points us to this great article in the The Economist that provides context re the Sri Lankan team’s bravery in agreeing to play, and the tragic ramifications for Pakistan.
Various reports indicate that this was well planned. If the RPG or grenade had disabled the bus, the players would be dead. The Sri Lankan team was touring Pakistan in place of the Indian team that had cancelled after the Mumbai attacks. I think the extremists were attempting a twofer, Mumbai & Indian cricket team.
The Economist has a good take on this: . Quote:
Unbelievable! These terrorists are proclaiming loudly and clearly that they will now target innocent people. Even if it accomplishes absolutely nothing beyond getting then temporary publicity.
Excerpt from BBC
What could one say to this claim?
4 · oliveoyl said
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blockquote>Excerpt from BBC
even though a Pakistani minister may have said this its irresponsible of bbc to even include such a comment in their article…classic example of british/(dare i say gora :-)) mindset…divide and conquer
I don’t believe that the attackers could have penetrated the security cordon [the sri lankan was alleged to have a security cover equal to that of the pakistani head of state] and gotten away, during broad dayl light, without high level help from someone within the Lahore police or the Pakistani Army. The extremists seem to have infiltrated every organ of the Pakistani body politic.
He said the assault came in reaction to the Mumbai attacks, and was a “declaration of open war on Pakistan by India”. What could one say to this claim?
Why would “Indian extremists” attack Sri Lankan cricketers in Pakistan? They would have taken out the Pakistani cricketers.
REPORTER-There was a terrorist attack in Pakistan. Who do u think could be behind this?? Hamid Gul ex ISI General – Surely, the Indian intelligence agency RAW and Hindu-Zionists are responsible.
REPORTER-The Taleban are taking over Pakistan. Who do you think is responsible?? Hamid Gul ex ISI General – Surely, the Indian intelligence agency RAW and Hindu-Zionists are responsible.
REPORTER-Pakistan’s economy is on the brink of collapse! Who do you think is responsible?? Hamid Gul ex ISI General – Surely, the Indian intelligence agency RAW and Hindu-Zionists are responsible.
REPORTER-We just heard that your wife has given birth to a baby-boy! Who do think is responsible?? Hamid Gul ex ISI General – Surely, without any doubt the Indian intelligence agency RAW and Hindu-Zionists are responsible.
lol @ comment # 8 anyway though india and the rest of the region got to do something about this pak situation soon because it doesnt look like obama will anytime soon if at all pakistan’g going down faster than a laHore
4 · oliveoyl said
Don’t believe that nonsense. He is just trying to minimize the fall-out. Soon enough the rest of the world is going to wake up and realize Pakistan in a failed state and a terrorist haven. Zardari is not just a crook; he’s purposely handing control of portions of the country over to Islamic militants. The situation has gone far enough; it is time for international military intervention.
I believe Pakistan is behind these attacks.
A shameful incident.
What realistically can be done about the problem of Pakistan? by ordinary Pakistanis? by India? by the U.S.? by the rest of the world?
In the short term/long term, I have lost hope because I can’t even speculate about what could be done…just sad.
1 · amaun said
In hindsight this makes BCCI look pretty smart, this whole thing would have created a bigger firestorm if Indian team was attacked.
i think indian actor Gulshan Grover and Lahore police chief Haji Habibur Rehman are the same person
13 · Sulabh said
I wouldn’t go that far as to credit BCCI for that decision. They would’ve sent a team to Pakistan if they could to keep the anti-gora solidarity in cricket alive. It was the GOI (or more like public opinion) that forced BCCI to call off the Pakistan tour.
Sena X:
Putting a smiley-face after the phrase gora does not make the generalization re: Western or “white” media less offensive. Trust me, no “Goras” have any interest in dividing and conquering Pakistan. A stable, dare I even hope tolerant, Pakistan benefits everyone.
New policy: If you commit an act of terrorism, then your family goes to jail. Your mother, your father, your grandmother, your grandfather. You will be banging virgins while your father is getting raped in prison.
Time to get medieval.
Zardari is not just a crook; he’s purposely handing control of portions of the country over to Islamic militants.
That is not plausible. It is more like the Army is creating the environment for a return to power.
@#16 first off i didnt mean “divide and conquer” pakistan. While mentioning the pakistani minister’s comment in the article will not cause “open war on Pakistan by India” I meant to say that it should not even be in the article
Thamizan#3:>>These terrorists are proclaiming loudly and clearly that they will now target innocent people. Unbelievable!
Why is that unbelievable?
M. Nam
13 · Sulabh said
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blockquote>1 · amaun said
A slight correction, not BCCI, the indian government(http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/cricket/article5363905.ece)
Please note that inflammatory/trollish comments re Hindus, Muslims, etc. will result in comment deletion and possible banning.
I am no conspiracy theorist, and I get a feeling that this attack was not meant to kill the Sri Lankans, only to send a strong warning to someone (who? IPL?- Your guess is as good as mine). If 12 heavily armed, well trained terrorists attack a bus using AK 47s, RPGs and grenades, and have enough time to make a successful getaway without a single casualty of their own, they most often cause more than ‘minor and non significant’ injuries to their targets. Poor Imran khan made a statement in October guaranteeing that the terrorists would never attack cricketers because that will turn the public mood against them. He misjudged either the public mood or the terrorists’ motives (or perhaps both).
Yes, much like cold fusion, HIV vaccine and superluminal space travel. Only less likely to ever happen.
I don’t understand the logic behind this attack–why attack the Sri Lankan cricket team? What beef to Islamic terrorists have with them?
24 · Hasan said
Aren’t they kafirs and unIslamic?
24 · Hasan said
I wonder if it has nothing to do with “beef”, but just a brutal application of “terror” in the purest sense of the word. Terrifying outsiders, as a warning not to visit, terrifying regular Pakistani citizens, and demoralizing them, to boot. Almost like they were trying to send a message regarding who is really in power. It’s an imperfect analogy, but I keep thinking of a scene in The Wire, when someone is murdered in this very visible way, to demonstrate that “snitches get stitches”. After that, no one dares step forward or act against the perps, even though people know who did it, out of fear. The Sri Lankan team weren’t snitches, but they were the medium used to force innocents to cower, turn inwards, stay silent. If a well-armed, heavily-guarded team of athletes isn’t safe from this shit, what hope does an ordinary citizen have? And what is left to look forward to, at a time when things seem hopeless, if something like cricket is also ruined by a bunch of dried-fruit-eating, gun-toting assholes?
If you want an analogy from “The Wire” I would use Marlo’s crew as the terrorist and the bus was “Cutty” trying to bring some peace to the street’s by the way of sport, but when Cutty tries to reach out he ends up getting shot in the leg for this trouble.
“The Wire” = Best drama show of all time.
Both Wire references are pretty good. The point is that the (Islamic) thugs control the streets in Pakistan and the police and goverment have no influence with the people, because at the end of the day neither does anything for anyone actually living amidst the chaos.
As long as we’re going there, I would suggest that Zardari is Mayor Royce….interested only in protecting his own ass and stealing as much as possible. The Sri Lankans? I’m thinking they are the janitor killed in the first episode. Just someone trying to do the right thing in the wrong place, and paying the ultimate price for it.
17 · ShallowThinker said
Sadly, this no family left behind policy is already in full effect in many terror-hit areas in south Asia.
As a Pakistani-American, I am horrified and appalled by what has happened today. I have a lot of family in Lahore and have spent significant amount of time there. Liberty Chowk is a place I passed by many times, either to go shopping in Liberty Market, or just on the way to somewhere else in the city. I never imagined it would be the site of a terrorist attack. My thoughts and prayers are with the Lankan team and the family’s of the dead officers.
The people of Pakistan have 2 options:
Unfortunately, option 2 is fast gaining ground.
24 · Hasan said
It’s possible the attack has nothing to do with Islamic terrorists. Sri Lanka has a few of it’s own enemies at the moment.
So, I guess you cant scare terrorist no matter what.
Why is it so easy to brain wash people? You say the right words to them at a vulnerable time in their life and they are hooked onto you and will do anything you say. I guess it is in our nature to obtain followers of “us”. People are so addicted to brain washing, that some of them even convince lions and tigers that they are supposed to dress up in cute cloths and play with yarn, instead of biting the hell out of everything. Im looking at you Siegfried and Roy.
as someone with a minimal interest in south asia relative to most people around here, the pakistan gov. minister mooting the possibility of an indian conspiracy to make pakistan look bad is such a tool. in the interests of making india look bad he’s made his gov. look even more batsh*t crazy than it already did.
Er .. hate to break it to you but terrorists have been targeting innocent people for … a while now
You do understand that terrorists aim to spread terror and that they use the ability to spread terror as a bargaining chip, don’t you? (Except for some who just like to see the world burn, with apologies to Heath Ledger)
(Thanks for the laugh and please forgive the sarcasm. Do not take it as an insult — you comments put you on the right track to becoming a part of the mainstream Indian media)
This throws a huge spanner at Nawaz sharif’s planned agitation.
However unfortunate it may be – in a way, this incident may help get Pakistani government’s act together after a strong reaction from the citizens of Pakistan. Their beloved game disrepected and thier guests who showed an amazing good will gesture ( by touring the country when noone else would ) getting attacked even after being assured of the highest level of security, is really awful. If some western interests are targetted or a policy maker gets whacked ( read Benazir bhutto ) or citizens in the neighbouring country gets murdered ( read Mumbai ) – people of Pakistan may have been somewhat indifferent attributing those incidents to either a political or idealogicial differences with the parties involved, but when the same thing happens to friendly visitors, time for some deep introspection and outrage.
hinjew_brotherhood said
Option 2 some time ago… : http://www.flyyoufools.com/wp-content/2009/01/163-Denial-1-Vimoh.png
In Pakistan majority opinion seems to be that India wants the world to see Pakistan as a failed state so this could have been a RAW backed operation, a lot of people are also questioning why Sri Lankas decision to tour Pakistan caused “diplomatic tensions” between India and Sri Lanka
Well said…
whatever the aim of this attack, it’s done one thing – pretty much killed international cricket in pakistan for the immediate and not-so-immediate future, and that’s sad for cricket and its fans in pakistan and elsewhere. the sri lankans went out of their way to help pakistan show that international cricket can be staged there and this attack has just confirmed the fears out there. cricket in the subcontinent – india, sri lanka, bangladeesh too – is now part of the uncertainty.
We all know the real possiblity of Pakistan becoming a failed state. What planning India has/should have. First and foremost is getting hands on nuclear arsenal. After that, what? Would all those Pakistanis make a bee-line to India as refugees? Should India allow them, keep them on the border, what is a reasonable response?
Did it? This is the first I’ve heard of it.
Sri Lanka’s increased its reliance on Pakistan (and China, and Iran) in the last few years as traditional supporters in the west and India have taken greater issue with its abysmal (and worsening) human rights record. That isn’t to say India isn’t still involved (it is, though in a quieter, more limited capacity) but that Pakistan provides lots of military support to SL. The LTTE (or someone else) actually tried to kill a Pakistani government official in Sri Lanka a few years ago.
I suppose the SL Cricket team touring Pakistan would be seen as another indication of closer relations, but the idea that India launched this attack to interfere with those relations is pretty absurd. They might have for other reasons, but there are a handful of more plausible culprits than RAW.
First the Taliban takes over large swathes of the countryside, then they attack with impunity in major urban centers. It happened earlier this year in Kabul with the Serena hotel attack and the assassination attempt on Karzai; now it’s come to Pakistan. Once you’ve got heavily-armed militants attacking targets that are specially “protected” and getting away it’s time to put a fork in the Pakistani gov’t–they’re done. Sad. Hope someone gets the nukes before the Taliban takes over.
then they attack with impunity in major urban centers. It happened earlier this year in Kabul with the Serena hotel attack and the assassination attempt on Karzai; now it’s come to Pakistan
The 62 year experiment seems like coming to an end. I wont be surprised that before the end of Obama’s first term, there are a non-significant number of US troops in the frontier province and urban centers of Lahore and Karachi in complete ruin something similar to Kabul after the Russians left.
The 62 year experiment seems like coming to an end. I wont be surprised that before the end of Obama’s first term, there are a non-significant number of US troops in the frontier province and urban centers of Lahore and Karachi in complete ruin something similar to Kabul after the Russians left.
large nations have economies of scale. goods and people can move throughout them. barriers increase these economic costs. but the negative externalities are getting too great for nations like pakistan & sri lanka. humans are irrational so i assume partition won’t happen, but these states really need to just get broken up. terrorism will still happen, but the costs of movement and coordination will increase. additionally, it will get the pashtun areas out of the country.
47razib said
Razib, would you care to explain further? You’re saying Pakistan and Sri Lanka need to get broken up because the “negative externalities” (define, please) are too great, but even once these nations are partitioned, terrorism will still happen? Since you also seem to say that the currently high economic (transaction) costs will only increase, what exactly would be the point of this rational exercise?
The US would undoubtedly have many contingency plans in place to take out the nukes in case a Taliban takeover looks even remotely possible (It was suggested in the Mumbai aftermath that it might already have control over them). In any case there is now a great doubt on the will and the ability of the Pakistan govt. to take on the Talibs, specially when they are allegedly paying them for peace deals. And the response of the army reminds me of Iran during the Islamic revolution.
Many think that it had ended in 1971.
Hehe–“in case”??? What’s your over-under on Taliban taking over Peshawar? I’d give you 30 days. . . . The weird thing is, nobody is willing to fight for the current Pakistan, so you’re getting a takeover by a small %, but a well-armed and motivated one–and (unlike in Afghanistan) there are no US/UK/Canadian/Dutch troops to defend the gov’t.