Bhutto Slaying Roils Pakistan

Pakistani Opposition Leader Shot By Suicide Bomber, Police Say

(CBS/AP)  Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated Thursday by an attacker who shot her after a campaign rally and then blew himself up. Her death stoked new chaos across the nuclear-armed nation, an important U.S. ally in the war on terrorism.

At least 20 others were killed in the attack on the rally for Jan. 8 parliamentary elections where the 54-year-old former prime minister had just spoken.

At least five people were killed across the country in rioting that broke out in the aftermath of the assassination. In the southern port city of Karachi, angry Bhutto supporters shot at police and burned a gas station.

At the hospital where Bhutto died, some supporters smashed glass and wailed, chanting slogans against President Pervez Musharraf. Musharraf blamed Islamic extremists for her death and said he would redouble his efforts to fight them.

"This is the work of those terrorists with whom we are engaged in war," he said in a nationally televised speech. "I have been saying that the nation faces the greatest threats from these terrorists. ... We will not rest until we eliminate these terrorists and root them out."

In the U.S., a tense looking President Bush strongly condemned the attack "by murderous extremists who are trying to undermine Pakistan's democracy." White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said Bush spoke briefly by phone with Musharraf.

Musharraf convened an emergency meeting with his senior staff, where they were expected to discuss whether to postpone the elections, an official at the Interior Ministry said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks. Analysts say Bhutto could have commanded around 26 percent of the popular vote in the elections, reports CBS News correspondent Sheila MacVicar.

CBS News correspondent Richard Roth reports that a claim for the killing has come from al Qaeda, but a feeling that Musharraf's government shares the blame for Bhutto's death, whoever pulled the trigger, is widespread among her followers who make up the country's biggest political party.

The government announced three days of mourning for Bhutto, including the closing of schools, commercial centers and banks.

Nawaz Sharif, another former prime minister and leader of a rival opposition party, demanded Musharraf resign immediately and announced his party would boycott the upcoming election.

The attacker struck just minutes after Bhutto addressed thousands of supporters in the Rawalpindi, a city 8 miles south of Islamabad where the army is headquartered. She was shot in the neck and chest by the attacker, who then blew himself up, said Rehman Malik, Bhutto's security adviser.

Sardar Qamar Hayyat, a leader from Bhutto's party, said at the time of the attack he was standing about 10 yards away from her vehicle - a white, bulletproof SUV with a sunroof.

"She was inside the vehicle and was coming out from the gate after addressing the rally when some of the youths started chanting slogans in her favor. Then I saw a smiling Bhutto emerging from the vehicle's roof and responding to their slogans," he said.

"Then I saw a thin, young man jumping toward her vehicle from the back and opening fire. Moments later, I saw her speeding vehicle going away," he added.

"Mangled bodies lay in a pool of blood and pieces of clothing and shoes were scattered on the road. The clothing of some victims was shredded and people covered their bodies with party flags.

There was an acrid smell of explosive fumes in the air.

Police cordoned off the street and rescuers rushed to put victims in ambulances as onlookers wailed nearby.

Bhutto was rushed to the hospital and taken into emergency surgery. She died about an hour after the attack.

Hours later, her body was carried out of the hospital in a plain wooden coffin by a crowd of supporters. Her body was expected to be transferred to an air base and brought to her hometown of Larkana.

A doctor on the team that treated her said she had a bullet in the back of the neck that damaged her spinal cord before exiting from the side of her head. Another bullet pierced the back of her shoulder and came out through her chest.

She was given open heart massage, but the main cause of death was damage to her spinal cord, he said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

"At 6:16 p.m., she expired," said Wasif Ali Khan, a member of Bhutto's party who was at Rawalpindi General Hospital.

"The surgeons confirmed that she has been martyred," Bhutto's lawyer Babar Awan said.

Bhutto's supporters at the hospital exploded in anger, smashing the glass door at the main entrance of the emergency unit. Others burst into tears. One man with a flag of Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party tied around his head was beating his chest.

"I saw her with my own eyes sitting in a vehicle after addressing the rally. Then, I heard an explosion," Tahir Mahmood, 55, said sobbing. "I am in shock. I cannot believe that she is dead."

Many chanted slogans against Musharraf, accusing him of complicity in her killing.

"We repeatedly informed the government to provide her proper security and appropriate equipment including jammers, but they paid no heed to our requests," said Malik, the security adviser.

As news of her death spread, angry supporters took to the streets.

In Karachi, shop owners quickly closed their businesses as protesters set tires on fire on the roads, torched several vehicles and burned a gas station, said Fayyaz Leghri, a local police official. Gunmen shot and wounded two police officers, he said.

[missingamerica]

Ummm...this part of our plan to "spread Democracy" and "bring stability" to the world?

[realpatriot1]

It''s just been confirmed that she was killed. This is what Al Quaeda does to Muslims who confront them and why Musharif never will. This is what they did to the Northern Alliance Commander in Afghanistan prior to September 11.

Iraq is a sideshow. They never try to bring down the Iraqi government because it''s no threat to them or their operations.

Pakastan is Al Quaeda''s last stand, they have nowhere else to go. They''re using it as a base to try to recapture Afghanistan where they had a state sponser; they currently have an effective state sponser in Musharif who hasn''t been willing to confront them in Wiziristan.

Let''s hope he and the Bush administration wake up before it''s too late and they gain control in Karachi.

This is the results when a country is so full of looney-bins.

[missingamerica]

-Uuuumm Steve...islamic jihadists are responsible for this treachorous act, not America. Start recognizing evil when you see it instead of blaming your own country for wicked religious agendas that these jihadists follow as instructed by their Quran.


Posted by singinrick at 08:35 AM : Dec 27, 2007

Your inflexible sermonizing reminds me of something...oh, yeah - the rabble-rousing rants of a Western-hating fundamentalist Imam.

[walt1944-2009]

Its strange that immediately after Bhutto came back from exile, Musharref declared military law, shredded the constitution, suspended elections, and jailed anyone who didn''t think like him.

Now his main adversary is dead after 2 attempts on her life, and Musharref doesn''t have a thing to worry about (MAYBE!!!). This reminds me of all the coups and killings in South Vietnam between 1960-1965. And who, as it later turned out was behind all that? Why the good old USA, of course!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!

[radiob-2009]

How far back does the trail lead all the way to Musharraf? There will be no "real" investigation of this crime.

[nwihoosier]

Walt1944,
Have you NO reasoning capability? Say anything! What a dope! Prove your points (not your pointy head, stupid)or be revealed for the fool that you are.

[jetranger7]

It was probably a CIA sanctioned Hit, non the less by you know who, sanctioned, assassination, coup, over throw, all planned out months ago non the less !

[cbs_oliver]

Very sad. She was an impressive person.

[radiob-2009]

What do you want to bet that Tatiana the tiger was a islamic jihadist too?

[realpatriot1]

In 1998 the CIA and the Sharif government set up a conter terror team to gather info on Bin Laden(who was based in Afghanistan at the time). The CIA felt that Pakastani intelligence was controlled by Al Quaeda and was sceptical but felt it was worth a try.

Musharif overthrew the Sharif government and immediately disbanded this team. Since then he''s made promise after promise to assist in the tracking of Al Quaeda but the Army has made only superficial and totally cosmetic efforts to follow through on those promises.

Al Quaeda & the Taliban has been operating freely in Wiziristan since they were allowed to freely enter Pakastan at Tora Bora.

It should be noted that the only Presidential candidate in either party to do what Bhutto has done and promise to go after them there is Obama.

Unfortunately, the time to do so is now.

[missingamerica]

The problem is you can''t rule out interference on our part. Musharraf is Cheney''s man - and can you think of anything Cheney wouldn''t do to get his way?

[jncc1701]

This just disproves Bush''s idea of "democracy being the answer" the only way this part of the world governs itself is through dictators. Pakistan experienced its most stable period under General Zia.
We need a president who will go back to the idea of containment for the Asia/Middle East.

But I agree, this is a shame she was an impressive person who came out of a comfortable exile/retirement with her family to get into this hell hole for the sake of her principles. A rare politician indeed - Bush can learn a thing of two - he can''t even make a speech unless the crowd is screen for dissent.

[venkata4--2008]

Now Pakistani President have one less opponent. In spite of security threats both Nawaz sherif and Ms. Butto are not given enough security. So is it by pro Tali ban groups or some body else wants to consolidate the power.

Also remember when Ms. Butto was prime minister she kept quite when more 1200 people were dead (mostly from different sect than hers'') in sectarian violence erupted in Karachi in early 90s.

[missingamerica]

"Hopefully, this country won''''t go there either."

Is that a threat?

Regards,

Posted by Nancy_Naive at 09:03 AM : Dec 27, 2007

Lollll...you know better, Nancy. That''s wet brain syndrome, is all.

[realpatriot1]

JetRanger,

It wasn''t the suicide bomber that killed her, it was a gunshot to the neck(if reports are correct). It appears the bomb was a diversion to create panic while someone close shot her. Sounds like an inside job to me.

[missingamerica]

realpatriot - the above story has been amended to read:

Party security adviser says Bhutto was shot in the neck and chest as she got into her vehicle, then gunman blew himself up.

"At 6:16 p.m. she expired," said Wasif Ali Khan, a member of Bhutto''s party who was at Rawalpindi General Hospital.

The bombing wasn''t a distraction, it was insurance.

[notblue]

Another glaring example of the total lack tollerance of the Muslim Radicals. It''s unbelievable to read some of these posts attempting to deflect blame from the Isalamic barbarians with more conspiracy theory, Cheney, CIA crapp. Some people will go to unbelievable lenghts to exonorate and deflect blame from the greatest evil of the modern world called radical Islam!

[missingamerica]

The number of people who artificially generate strength in numbers by posting under multiple nicknames is also unbelievable.

[kiwi_chick]

SingingRick...how wrong you are. Musharraf overthrew an elected president to become DICTATOR of Pakistan. His ascension to power was backed by the US military and the US taxpayer''s money. Musharraf has been and still is a murdering ***. And we (as in Bush and his phoney administration) sanction his every move.THAT is how the US has a part in EVERYTHING that Musharraf does.

nwihoosier...walt''s reasoning seems to be very clear and concise. What parts exactly do you not understand? Are you one of those that needs a "connect the dots" picture?

[tbweb]

Its a big lost for Pakistan, opposition and competition is good for a nation and gives Voters choices and keeps those in power honest (to a degree!) and on their toes. I support Pres. Musharraf but I still feel a sense of sadness at the lost of Benazir Bhutto. Nawaz Sharif is next, he should leave Pakistan now. Its easy to jump to conclusions and blame Musharraf but he does have his strong supporters too just like the opposition, willing to die for him as well and they are just as loyal, suicidal and fanatical. Benazir Bhutto was larger than life and her lost does represent a disturbance inside the force. Sad.

[usbrit-2009]

JetRanger - just read that on BBC. Just adds to the confusion. I see posters are generally not taking this seriously. Let me point out Bhutto was the leader of the largest opposition party to Musharref. The country is an Islamic minefield. This could lead to more crack-downs by the military, more demonstrations/revolts and perhaps out and out civil war. They also have nukes. This could get to be a BIG problem very fast.

[radiob-2009]

Sounds like an inside job to me.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by realpatriot1

Sounds like someone has been busy first releasing the tiger (a purported inside job) and now this, those Islamic jihadist will stoop to anything. Did the tiger have a mustache also?

[smirk5]

You know? Freedom really isn''t on the march.

[missingamerica]

Bhutto also had some serious tales of corruption linked to her. Although I mourn her murder as a as a fellow human being, when I view her as a politician I cannot unconditionally state that the world or even Pakistan has suffered an irreparable loss.

[pcal5]

Religious fanaticism gone amuck as will eventually take us to nuclear conflict given Pakistan''s instability now and its possession of nuclear weapons. Read a thorough analysis of religious fanaticism abroad and at home and the hell it is taking us to on matrix-evolutions dot com.

[abdoul_pasha]

She was real politican. The corruption is part of the real politic. Pakistan is getting further from the democracy as Russia governed by Putin.

[mcvet]

Sounds like someone has been busy first releasing the tiger (a purported inside job) and now this, those Islamic jihadist will stoop to anything. Did the tiger have a mustache also?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by radiob at 09:14 AM : Dec 27, 2007
+ report abuse

Are you referring to Bin Laden and Al Queda? The Bin Laden Sir Lies-A-Lot promised to bring in "dead or alive" before he decided the Oil Fields of Iraq were more important? Sieg Heil Bush!

[radiob-2009]

Wonder if you follow the kitty liter if it will lead you back to Musharraf?

[gangesdak]

Location of the assasination is Liaqat Bagh which bears the name of another Pakistan''s leader (Prime Minister) asssasinated in 1951. Benazir''s father, a former Prime Minister, was executed by the ruling party in the name of justice. I hope, people of Pakistan come back to their senses, and do the right thing for their country. This assasination appears not entirely home made.

[abdoul_pasha]

And do you think that Kennedy was also killed by islamic terrorists?

[missingamerica]

And do you think that Kennedy was also killed by islamic terrorists?

Posted by Abdoul_Pasha at 09:21 AM : Dec 27, 2007

Which one?

[radiob-2009]

And do you think that Kennedy was also killed by islamic terrorists?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by Abdoul_Pasha

There are probably a few who do believe this along with them being at Bunker Hill, Gettysburg and Pearl Harbour.

[missingamerica]

lolll...I would hazard that nobody thought Ted needed killing, Floydzepp.

Seeing as how he committed suicide at Chappaquiddick.

[hungry1968]

radiob, its spelled "harbor"......

Posted by FloydZepp at 09:25 AM : Dec 27, 2007


Not in Canada. Or England. Or Australia. Or New Zealand.

[formrusmcsgt]

Sharif was disqualified by Musharraf''s hand pick court and Bhutto is assinated.

What a surprise! Musharraf is the only candidate now running.

Geez...isn''t it funny how things work out?

[hungry1968]

I wonder if this is the beginning of the "incident" that Bush needs to declare himself "emperor" using the new law passed earlier this year that allows him to suspend the constitution?

[missingamerica]

lolll...if Bush tries that - no matter the previously laid groundwork - boy, is he going to get a surprise.

[underdogus]

WORLD WAR III HAS ALREADY BEGUN AND MOST AMERICANS DO NOT KNOW IT .....never underestimate the enemy!!!

[missingamerica]

I have seen the enemy and they are us.

[nishaboston]

Some of you people who are blaming muslim terrorist are so *** niave. Don''t you notice everything that happens is blamed no terrorist, that is the easiest scapegoat these days.

[radiob-2009]

Geez...isn''''t it funny how things work out?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by formrusmcsgt

Bet that tiger had a mustached, short balding 4 eyed accomplice wearing a uniform when it escaped.

On a serious note though Musharraf is probably behind this.

[underdogus]

there you have it folks we are in serious trouble, and it will only get worst... happy new year!!

[radiob-2009]

Some of you people who are blaming muslim terrorist are so *** niave. Don''''t you notice everything that happens is blamed no terrorist, that is the easiest scapegoat these days.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by nishaboston


Should we do like some of the states and insurance companies and adopt a no fault policy?

[hungry1968]

hungry1968, he won''''t do that until June at the earliest....

Posted by FloydZepp at 09:31 AM : Dec 27, 2007



He''ll find something before January 21, 2009. His track record is just too littered with his contempt for the will of the American people.

I think the real catalyst will depend on who wins the 2008 election. If it''s a Democrat, then he''ll probably pull the trigger and declare himself king. If it''s a Republican (depending on who it is), he MIGHT be tempted to let them take the reins.

[toolmangler-2009]

COME ON MAN .. U ARE VERY WRONG THE REAL SATAN ARE THOSE WHO UNDER THE FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY PRETEXT WANT TO ENSLAVE HUMAND KIND...
Posted by V_161877 at 09:13 AM : Dec 27, 2007



How many Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, or any ''other'' major religion have suicide bombers roaming the streets looking for targets of opportunity? I can understand anger with a political party, I have my share, But Islam has the most vile ''martyrs'' immaginable in that they care nothing for the people around them, They seek at place where the damage is maximized. Do not tell me that the war kills in the same manner, it does not.

[missingamerica]

Should we do like some of the states and insurance companies and adopt a no fault policy?

Posted by radiob at 09:37 AM : Dec 27, 2007

It works for the defense industries!

[abdoul_pasha]

Bhutto''''s murder; just another "gift" to the world from Islam, the "religion of peace." Seems the only way Muslims know how to protest is with bullets and bombs.
Stay informed, know your adversaries, read
www.jihadwatch.org




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by michaelt302
---
Bhutto is also Muslim, my son!

[airport1207]

The thing is really getting worse LOL

[underdogus]

I have seen the enemy and they are us.
Posted by ibsteve2u at 09:35 AM : Dec 27, 2007
the enemy is you.. coward... is just a matter of time before ISLAMIST pull something big off....in the US