Islamist militants behind Pak Marriott Hotel attack

Islamabad, Jan 27: Pakistani investigators are trying to establish the identity of a suicide bomber who attacked a luxury hotel in the capital and suspect Islamist militants were behind the blast.

The lone attacker, who appeared to be in his twenties, detonated explosives strapped to his body yesterday as he tried to sneak into the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, killing himself, a security guard and wounding seven people.

Investigators said they had found the bloodied head, two broken legs and a book containing Koranic verses from the pocket of the suspect.

''It is an act of terrorism. It has definite links with the war on terrorism. We can't see it separately,'' a senior government official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

''This (attack) is part of what is going on with regard to this war,'' he said, referring to the hunt for al Qaeda and Taliban militants in the tribal region near the Afghan border.

An investigation team has been set up by Islamabad police and a sketch of the suspect was being prepared, said Sikandar Hayat, a senior superintendent of police.

The Marriott is one of Islamabad's main hotels and is frequented by foreign diplomats and businessmen, making it a potential target for militants angered by President Pervez Musharraf's post-September 11, 2001, alliance with the United States and his efforts to make peace with India.

The blast occurred just hours before an Indian High Commission function to celebrate Republic Day in the hotel. The function was held as scheduled.

A blast inside the hotel's lobby wounded seven people in October 2004, including a US diplomat, two Italians and the prime minister's chief security officer.

Al Qaeda-linked militants claimed responsibility for the explosion, though the Pakistani government at the time said it was caused by an electrical short circuit.

Musharraf, who himself survived at least two al Qaeda-inspired assassination attempts, condemned the attack and vowed to continue fighting terrorism.

Whereas bomb attacks are commonplace elsewhere in Pakistan, they have been fairly rare in Islamabad in recent years, though there were a series of scares late last year, when unexploded rockets were found close to government ministries and the military intelligence headquarters.

Aviation officials said security has been beefed up at all airports across the country after the attack, though there were no specific threats.

Reuters