US embassy denies Americans were the target of Marriott hotel blast

Islamabad, Sept 23 : Denying media reports that Saturday's hotel blast was targeted at the Americans, the US embassy in Islamabad has said that there was no evidence to prove this suggestion.

After the blast which claimed 60 lives, including four foreigners, it was widely believed that Americans was targeted by the extremists, as the only five-star hotel in Islamabad was frequented by foreigners, especially the Americans.

"We do not have any evidence that Americans were the targets," the Daily Times quoted US embassy spokesman Lou Fintor as saying.

To a question, he said the US marines were not staying at the hotel, but those working with the embassy security staff had gone there for dinner. "We have marines here in the embassy and they go [out] and eat like anybody else. But to say that the marines were staying in the hotel is not true," he said.

He said the US embassy regularly reviewed and updated its security plan keeping in view the ground realities, but such plans were not shared with the public.

Fintor thanked the government of Pakistan for helping the US citizens and other victims of the blast.

ANI