Truck Bomb Destroys Marriott In Pakistan

At Least 38 Killed, 250 Injured At Islamabad Luxury Hotel Frequented By Foreigners

(CBS/AP)  A suicide bomber detonated a dump truck packed with a ton of explosives outside the Marriott in Pakistan's capital Saturday, setting off a fiery blast that shattered the luxury hotel, killed at least 38 people and wounded hundreds, officials and witnesses said.

The targeting of the American hotel chain was one of the largest terrorist attacks ever in Pakistan and came at a time of growing anger in Pakistan over a wave of cross-border strikes on militant bases by U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

A U.S. State Dept. official told CBS News correspondent Kimberly Dozier that a U.S. government employee was among the dead. Because of the "extent of the carnage, forensics will be required" to determine whether any more Americans were killed in the attack, the official said.

The five-story Marriott had been a favorite spot for foreigners as well as Pakistani politicians and business people to stay and socialize in Islamabad despite repeated militant attacks on it. The bomb went off close to 8 p.m., when four restaurants inside would have been packed with diners at the hour that Muslims break their daily fast during the holy month of Ramadan.

"I didn't understand what it was, but it was like the world is finished," said Mohammad Sultan, a hotel employee who was in the lobby when the bomb exploded.

It left a vast crater some 30 feet deep in front of the building, where rescuers ferried a stream of bloodied bodies. The fire was still burning more than six hours after the blast and had gutted the hotel, sending up a thick pall of smoke over the area. The death toll was likely to rise once the flames are extinguished and rescuers can thoroughly search the devastation.

The bombing came just hours after President Asif Ali Zardari made his first address to Parliament, less than a mile away from the hotel, and days ahead of the new leader's meeting with President Bush Tuesday in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.

Rehman Malik, the head of the Interior Ministry, told The Associated Press it was unclear who was behind the attack and there had been no claim of responsibility. But authorities had received intelligence that there might be militant activity linked to Zardari's address to Parliament and security had been tightened, he said.

Analysts said the attack is a warning from Islamic extremists to the new civilian leadership of Pakistan that it should end already-strained cooperation with the United States to pursue al Qaeda and Taliban militants entrenched in the lawless tribal region along the border with Afghanistan.

Zardari reappeared after midnight on state television to condemn the "cowardly attack." He said he understood the victims' pain because he had buried his own wife - assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto - in December.

"Make this pain your strength," he said. "This is a menace, a cancer in Pakistan which we will eliminate. We will not be scared of these cowards," he said.

Pakistani security sources and the hotel's owner said the truck was being examined by security personnel immediately outside the gate when it detonated, reports CBS News correspondent Sheila MacVicar.

The location of the hotel made it vulnerable. It lies just off a busy thoroughfare, less than a mile from the presidential offices and Parliament. The security gate was well within the range of the blast wave.

The explosion reverberated throughout Islamabad and shattered windows hundreds of yards away.

As survivors scrambled from the hotel a fire took hold and spread quickly, leading to fears that those injured by the blast might not escape the flames, reports MacVicar.

"The fire has eaten the entire building," said Mohammed Ali, an emergency service official at the scene. He said that after an initial chaotic search to find survivors, rescue teams had only been able to make two brief forays inside but found no bodies or survivors and had to retreat quickly.

Teams of firefighters sprayed water from firehoses as bulldozers cleared debris.

Earlier, a U.S. State Department official led three colleagues through the rubble from the charred building, one of them bleeding heavily from a wound on the side of his head. One of the four, who identified himself only as Tony, said they had been moving toward the rear of a Chinese restaurant inside the hotel after a first, small blast when a second explosion hurled them against the back wall.

"Then we saw a big truck coming to the gates," he said. "After that, it was just smoke and darkness."

Mohammed Asghar, a worker from a nearby office with a makeshift bandage round his head, said there was more than one man in the truck and that they had argued with the hotel guards.

"Then there was a flash of light, the truck caught fire and then exploded with an enormous bang," he said.

A U.S. security official told Dozier that the Marriott had "done everything U.S. officials had recommended they do" - to mitigate the risk of an attack, but this was always a possibility.

Because of that, U.S. citizens were always recommended to ask for rooms in the back of the building, away from the street, the official said.

Senior police official Asghar Raza Gardaizi estimated the truck carried more than 2,200 pounds of explosives. He said in the midst of the rescue operation that at least 40 people were killed and many more feared buried in the rubble.

However, Kamal Shah, a senior Interior Ministry official, said early Sunday he knew of only 38 confirmed deaths.

Associated Press reporters saw at least nine bodies scattered at the scene. Scores of people, including foreigners, were running out - some of them stained with blood.

[ahhhhhhhaaaa]

Ok, I see that some of you people went FULL ***!!!!! on the issues at hand. You didn%u2019t even go half *** like you were supposed to but you had to go full ***!!!! . Doesn%u2019t anyone understand? We are living in biblical times people!!!!!!! WE OWE OTHER COUNTRIES SO MUCH MONEY, CAN YOU SAY ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT? COMING SOON TO A COUNTRY NEAR YOU!!!!!!!

[vsg4]

"Dont worry Americans George W. Bush has heard your pleas and is working .. --- ... to be some way that the american people can show some gratitude as hard as George works for us

Posted by AhhhhhhHaaaa at 02:26 PM : Sep 22, 2008"

I agree with you. Alas I cannot vote for him this time around. He a compassionate Christian leader who reached billions of people. And I like his VP a lot. I really wish *** Chaney with help of Carl Rove could rule US for next 8 years.

[ahhhhhhhaaaa]

Dont worry Americans George W. Bush has heard your pleas and is working on a plan with congress to get us out of this financial mess that Bill Clinton put us in. It took George Bush 8 years to get us out of the mess that Bill put us in and he''''''''s almost done! The economy will be fine by the time that George gets out of office. George did the right thing by removing those harsh laws that kept big companies from making the tons of money that they are making now. George Bush has always championed the rights of the poor and fought against the fat cats in washington. He has freed Iraq and is currently working on freeing afghanistan. George is the best president ever he balanced our budget and our troops couldnt be more proud then to have George Bush as commander and chief. I think that George Bush should be president another 8 years before Barack or Mc Cain get in washington and mess up the great job that George did over the past 8 years. Dont forget the no child left behind act which is helping millions of children and George Bush is only one standing up to the fat cats in washington. I wonder if there is way to get him elected another 8 years, this country sure needs him now more than ever! The poor has always supported George Bush because he protects the little guy, the underdog and we love him for that. He always put the american people before himself and his family!!! There ought to be some way that the american people can show some gratitude as hard as George works for us

[tapsettle]

The only way to stop these attacks is for America to accept Islam.
----
Posted by runningralph

What a load of krap from a closet racist. If america stopped treading all over the muslim countries to steal their oil, and maybe stopped bombing the heck out of them when they try to protest, maybe then they will stop fighting back. You my friend are a typical greedy little brainwashed DUMBARSE.

[babooph]

So many of those taking the Bush bribe for support funds end up paying for it in spades-war will not be waged on Bushs terms-all may as well get very used to that.How many "fronts "does this war mess have-the more that line up for the $,the more that are attacked.

[Stratmaster7]

I must say that CNN''s TV and internet coverage went a little too far with the bloody pictures; and now i fid them here on CBs too.

Gee, which candidate has been talking about Pakistan being a hot spot and needing attention along with Afghanistan, and which one just keeps talking about Iraq and Iran?

[runningralph]

It is a basic tenet of Islam to attack infidels and usurp their property if the infidels refuse the invitation to accept Allah. America has been invited to accept Islam and has not done so. Whatever happens to infidels who ignore Allah is Allah''s will. Moslems who are caught in these attacks will get their reward in heaven. The only way to stop these attacks is for America to accept Islam.

[skyk239]

Oh....what a twit! There is just nothing to say about an ignorant remark like this. You must be married to a same sxx partner.

Posted by noseonurface at 07:03 AM : Sep 21, 2008

I would like to know exactly WHAT about the post you attack was "ignorant"? You freaks seem to be willing to attack and put down ANY American who isn''t a member of the Party and it''s time it stopped.

[tapsettle]

Oh....what a twit! There is just nothing to say about an ignorant remark like this. You must be married to a same sxx partner.
-----
Posted by noseonurface

You obviously talk a lot but say very little. You must be married to your hand ... mind those blisters.

[dmhphils]

The day that americans realise that it is NOT ok for anyone, INCLUDING THE US, to bomb innocent civillians will be the day that peace on this planet has a chance.


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

Posted by tapsettle at 05:30 AM : Sep 21, 2008

Oh....what a twit! There is just nothing to say about an ignorant remark like this. You must be married to a same sxx partner.

[nincomp]

So, what are the so-called Pakistani "men" doing to get rid of the taliban and al-qaeda?

Posted by Demongirl60 at 04:51 AM : Sep 21, 2008
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
Same thing they have done to rid Pakistan of US influence, i.e. nothing

[tapsettle]

The day that americans realise that it is NOT ok for anyone, INCLUDING THE US, to bomb innocent civillians will be the day that peace on this planet has a chance.

[tapsettle]

The Marriott in Islamabad is an american hotel where americans stay. Bombing it seems fair enough then, since america keeps bombing Pakistanis.

[blitzder]

Blessings of the Western media! In the information age they keep you away.---Posted by WinnerIndia at 04:18 PM.
___________________________________

The Marriot is just a little distance away from Pizza Hut, KFC & SUBWAY. The US media lies perpetuate this carnage all over the world, including 9/11 in the US, with distortions and deceptions.

The medium is not the message, the medium is the cause of the killings.

[blitzder]

These Dune ***** have gone absolutely mad! Where are the ***-American''''s outrage? We need to round them up and rid the US of Pakistanis.---Posted by jeff607 at 09:55 PM.
-------------------------------------------
Yeah right! Blame the Pakistans!. It was 200 Pakistans who got killed, not Americans. You idiot.

America''s military can''t tell the difference between bombing a wedding party and a terrorist haven. This was payback for US stupidity. Same as in Iraq.

[riellehunt]

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m
password= greenback

[riellehunt]

HERE IS GOV SARAH PALIN''''S NEW EMAIL ADDRESS-
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m
password= greenback

[riellehunt]

HERE IS GOV SARAH PALIN''''S NEW EMAIL ADDRESS-
sarahpalinvp2008(at)yahoo(.)co
m
password= greenback

[riellehunt]

HERE IS GOV SARAH PALIN''''S NEW EMAIL ADDRESS-
sarahpalinvp2008(at)yahoo(.)co
m
password= greenback

[riellehunt]

HERE IS GOV SARAH PALIN''''S NEW EMAIL ADDRESS-
sarahpalinvp2008(at)yahoo(.)co
m
password= greenback