Pak airbase attack - surveillance aircraft the real targets?

Islamabad, May 31: After news spread about

and the Pakistani spokesperson claiming that there were al-Qaida supporters within the Pakistan military establishments, recent reports have emerged that the militants that carried out the attacks were eyeing the US supplied surveillance jet, Pakistan Navy's P3C Orion surveillance aircraft.

In an explosive revelation an unnamed naval official spoke to the Pakistani media that the aircrafts were the Taliban militants" prime targets. The attack on the fort of security saw the death of 10 soldiers and destroyed two aircrafts.

The briefing as reported by the The News daily stated the “inside support and help" for the attackers. In a serious setback to the internal security, Pakistan has decided to take the matter gravely and decided to conduct an inquiry. They also hope to pin the people behind the security and will look in to the insider"s role in the attacks.

Arrests have already been made on the case including the former naval commando Kamran Ahmed Malik and two other persons in Lahore. With al-Qaida and related militant outfits waiting to avenge the death of Osama Bin Laden, the officials commented that the attackers were aware of the "crucial value and strategic importance" of the P3C Orion aircraft.

A naval official was quoted as saying to The News, “For the sake of your imagination, I would say it was an intense, swift, well-trained and precise attack worthy of famous Hollywood movies such as Rambo." A joint investigation is underway involving the navy, Pakistan Rangers and police and will submit its report in a few days.

OneIndia News