We were behind the Lahore blasts; Pak lied: Taliban

Peshawar, Dec 26: A pro-Taliban group Ansar Wa Mohajir has claimed responsibility for Wednesday's bomb explosion in Lahore and the earlier rocket attacks on Dera Ismail Khan, nailing Pakistan's lies that they have arrested an Indian spy for the blasts.

In the backdrop of the Mumbai terror attacks and growing international pressure on Pakistan to arrest the perpetrators of the carnage, Islamabad has claimed to have arrested an Indian national in connection with Wednesday, Dec 24 bomb blast in Lahore, a move however denied by local police officials.

Toofan Wazir, identifying himself as a commander and spokesman of the group, phoned The News from somewhere in North Waziristan to claim responsibility for the two attacks.

He threatened more attacks against the security forces and the government installations to avenge the two recent US missile strikes in North Waziristan in which several militants belonging to the Punjab were killed.

Wazir said that the US drones fired the missiles at Pakistani targets with the agreement and cooperation of the government of Pakistan.

He said revenge would be taken from both the Americans and the Pakistan Government. In Pakistan, he warned, suicide bombings would be carried out and bombs would be planted and exploded at important government installations.

Toofan Wazir, which doesn't appear to be his real name, claimed his men were 'Ansar' who hosted the "Mohajir" or refugees who had come from different countries and also from places in Pakistan to find refuge in Waziristan.

He said the group was committed to protect the foreigners who were the guests of local tribesmen.

Earlier, Lahore's Senior Suprintendent of police (operations) Chaudhary Shafiq Ahmed had denied of any such arrest being made by the police.

"I have no information about the man, he might have been arrested by some other law-enforcement agency," the Dawn quoted Ahmed, as saying.

A woman was killed and four persons were injured when a car bomb went off in a high-security residential complex for government officials in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on Dec 24.

ANI