Scotland Yard findings on Bhutto death credible: US

Washington, Feb 9: The Bush Administration has upheld the findings of the Scotland Yard that Pakistani Peoples Party (PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto had died from the impact of a suicide bombing, not bullets fired at her moments earlier as she left a political rally in Rawalpindi on December 27.

''In terms of the investigation itself by Scotland Yard, we view this as a credible investigation by independent, outside experts,'' State Department spokesman Tom Casey said. ''We don't have any reason why we would question the validity of their assessment.'' He, however, said, that was an emotional issue, both for members of her family and for the people in Pakistan, who supported Bhutto. The British team of forensics and other experts submitted its report after spending two and a half weeks in Pakistan last month at the invitation of President Pervez Musharraf, following the killing of Former Prime Minister. The Scotland Yard reports said a lone assassin shot at Bhutto as she waved to supporters at the poll rally, but he missed and then detonated explosives which fatally smashed her skull against her car.

The report supports the Pakistani government's assassination theory. The PPP immediately rejected the findings and reiterated its demand for a United Nations inquiry into Bhutto's murder.

UNI