Bomb Kills 5 At Pakistani Religious School

10 More Injured In Attack On School Affiliated With Pro-Taliban Political Party, Police Say

(AP)  A bomb exploded at a religious school that police said was affiliated with a pro-Taliban political party, killing five people and injuring 10 more.

Television footage showed a gaping hole in the rough mud wall around the school near the southwestern city of Quetta and one partly demolished adjacent room.

Police said Friday's blast occurred in the wrecked room but didn't indicate if it was an attack or if the bomb was being kept there. One witness said it was detonated by a suicide bomber.

Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, has a rich cast of violent groups.

The city is considered a hub for Taliban militants fighting in neighboring Afghanistan. It has a history of sectarian violence. The province is also the scene of a low-level insurgency waged by ethnic Baluch nationalists seeking more autonomy.

Quetta police chief Wazir Khan Nasir said investigators were still trying to work out what kind of bomb went off and were questioning students and staff at the school.

He said the school was run by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, a hard-line Islamist party that is part of Pakistan's ruling coalition government, and had not been registered with authorities.

However, a local party leader denied any links to the school and suggested the incident was staged to discredit religious learning centers, known as madrassas.

"We regret the death of the students who were martyred in this incident," Hafiz Hamdullah told The Associated Press. "We fear that somebody is planning a crackdown against madrassas."

At a city hospital, a man who identified himself as Shahbaz Ahmad, told reporters he had seen students scuffling with a man who tried to push past them after they asked him why he wanted to enter the compound.

"When they barred his way, he blew himself up," said Ahmad, a young man with a black beard.

Later Friday, unknown gunmen riding a motorbike opened fire on a police patrol vehicle in Quetta, killing one officer and wounding one policeman and a passer-by, police official Raja Ishtiaq said.

It was unclear if the two incidents were related.

Pakistani officials have warned that militancy could heat up following a wave of cross-border strikes on militant bases by U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

[toolmangler-2009]

Religion calls for non-participation while financing and waging war. Religion is a lie. RELIGION POISONS EVERYTHING!
Posted by jMcGilvray at 11:21 AM : Sep 20, 2008


I guess you don''t know that Islam is a religion and they participate in their wars, (suicide bombers, jihadist, ect) Truly religious people aren''t super rich. If you have the slightest knowledge of true religion, then you know why I said that.

[downsteamjim]

What kind of bomb? As Inspector Clouseau would say, ''The exploding kind, of course.''

[kc629]

does anyone feel for those who were innocently murdered in any of this how can we americans be so quick to judge from our desks a half a world away and not even feel remorse for those who were murdered saying nasty things about their country will not help the situtaion, its a situtaion for mourning those innocent kids were people sons and brothers

we are all human beings

[vsg4]

"bombed a hotel in New Delhi just recently.

Posted by brianbwb at 11:25 AM : Sep 20, 2008"

I did not hear which group claimed responsibility. But I am sure all these groups are trained by ISI of Pakistan from the money gotten from popi cultivation both of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan was never peaceful in 60 odd years of it''s existence, meddling with other country''s affairs. Now they are getting their own medicine.

[brianbwb-2009]

Just so you know, at this moment, the Islamabad Marriott hotel was just bombed, 40 people are dead, hundreds are still trapped.

Before the media starts feeding lies to you, the group claiming responsibility is not Al Qaeda, nor are there any credible links to that group, which may be related to the group that bombed a hotel in New Delhi just recently.

[vsg4]

"HAH! A taste of their own medicine. How come we didn''''t think of this before?
Boy, that feels good.
Next time we should fly a plane into their freaking religious schools.

Posted by closethippy1 at 05:26 AM : Sep 20, 2008"

I agree with you. I think they got another hit in Marriott hotel. They are taking care of them selves. No need for extra planes.

[fibonacci_89]

Religion is dangerous! Religious people believe things with no scientific evidence whatsoever and base critical decisions on their beliefs.

[tootall10142]

UNTIL THE SOBS GET THIER HEAD IN THE WAR AND HELP US FIND AND CLEAN OUT THE HIDING LOCATIONS OF THESE TERRORIST.I HOPE THIRTY MORE BOMBS GO OFF AND KEEP GOING OFF UNTIL THE SOBS PUT THIER BIBLE DOWN AND PICK UP A WEAPON AND SHOW SOME GRIT.SYMPATHY CAN BE FOUND IN THE DICTIONARY BETWEEN SH---IT AND SYPHILISS.

[ajaxtheleast]

The new Pakistan president has had it !!!

Seven years and still terrorists running
around his country!!

It''s now learned that Pakistan is disolving
American Terrorist Exterminators Inc. no-bid
contract and is throwing the whole thing open
to bidders.

This follows a letter that the new president
received from Russian leader Putin questioning
the credentials of a terrorist extermination
company heading into the eighth year on the
job and there are more terrorists now than
when they began.

It''s also reported that Russia has forewarded
their own resume to be included in the
upcoming consideration.

[closethippy1]

HAH! A taste of their own medicine. How come we didn''t think of this before?
Boy, that feels good.
Next time we should fly a plane into their freaking religious schools.

[pirmin3]

Five less future terrorists. Good riddance.

[caliengineer]

He who lives by the sword will die by the sword.

This calls for patience on the part of believers in Jesus. We must not participate in the wars to come.