Hotel blast kills 53 and injures Britons

SIX Britons, including a child, were injured in a deadly suicide bombing in the Pakistan capital Islamabad, the Foreign Office confirmed yesterday.

At least 53 people were killed, including the Czech Republic's ambassador, and more than 260 injured in the blast at the heavily-guarded Marriott Hotel, days after the country's new president, Asif Ali Zardari, was at 10 Downing Street for talks.

CCTV images showed an explosives-laden lorry ramming the hotel's security gate. Shots were fired and flames could be seen in the cab moments before the explosion.

The Foreign Office said two of the Britons wounded in Saturday's attack remained in hospital for observation, but the four others were discharged with superficial injuries. Three of the wounded worked for the British High Commission in the capital.

The British Embassy in the city, one of the largest in the world and employing 150 UK workers, was functioning as normal yesterday. US and Vietnamese citizens were also killed in the blast, in which at least a dozen foreign nationals were wounded. The Danish foreign ministry said one of its diplomats was missing.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the bombing – believed to be the work of Islamist militants based in the lawless north-west border region near Afghanistan – would only reinforce Britain's determination to combat terrorism in the country.

He said: "This latest bombing attack in Islamabad is yet another shocking and disgraceful attack without justification.

"Such an indiscriminate and brutal act of terror deserves the condemnation of the entire international community.

"We continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the government of Pakistan against the violent extremists who have no answers but only offer death and mayhem."

Earlier yesterday, Mr Miliband spoke to his staff in Islamabad and praised their response.

The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, joined the condemnation and said the attack underlined the need to step up anti-terror co-operation.

"We already work with the Pakistan government in giving help with counter-terrorism operations. We will continue to do that," he said.

"But, as I was saying to the president of Pakistan a few days ago, we are going to have to step up the co-operation between our two countries, and with other countries, so that we can deal with this terrorist threat."

David Cameron, the Conservative leader, who recently visited Pakistan, said: "This attack underlines why Britain and Pakistan must work together at every level to defeat terrorism, and to send a clear message to the terrorists that we will remain steadfast in the face of the threat from terrorism."

The interior ministry released a security video of the moments before the blast. A six-wheeler lorry is seen ramming the barrier at the hotel gate. Shots are fired and the vehicle starts to burn. The guards run, then return to try to douse the flames.

There is no footage of the main blast because it destroyed the camera, but officials said the vehicle was packed with 600kg of high explosives as well as grenades and mortars.

Aluminium powder was also used to accelerate the explosion and added to the ferocity of the blaze, officials said.

"I do not believe this is a breakdown in security. The attackers had disguised the truck well as it was covered with a tarpaulin and loaded with bricks and gravel," said interior ministry adviser, Ramen Malik.

The force of the explosion created a crater about 8m deep, and triggered a fire that engulfed the 290-room, five-storey building for hours.

Analysis: Attack is a message to country's leaders over co-operation with US

THE target – a distinguished American hotel, popular with foreign diplomats and high-rolling visitors – was chosen to deliver the starkest possible message to Pakistan's new leadership.

"The attack on the hotel is a message to the Pakistani leadership: end all co-operation with the Americans or pay the price," said Brian Williams, associate professor of Islamic history at the University of Massachusetts. "Both sides see Pakistan as a vital battlefield in their global struggle and clearly Pakistani civilians are paying the price for being in the middle of this struggle."

The US has angered Pakistanis with increasing cross-border raids by its forces from Afghanistan to root out Islamic militants entrenched in the lawless and rugged tribal regions along the border.

Local newspapers are filled with outrage from columnists who accuse the US of treating Pakistan as a surrogate, flaunting its sovereignty and killing innocents. Civilian casualties from the US assaults have prompted tribesmen in the volatile frontier to threaten revolt.

Prof Williams said the country's new leaders were caught between pressure from the US to crack down on the militants, and al-Qaeda demands that they cut all ties with America. Officials have harshly criticised US incursions into Pakistani airspace, and last week, Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Pakistan to try to calm the anger.