Pakistani paramilitaries are claiming two Islamic militants who failed in an attempt to blow up President Pervez Musharraf have confessed to involvement in deadly attacks on the US consulate and a bus of French naval engineers.
Pakistan's Rangers announced they had arrested three people over the two blasts, which killed 11 French naval engineers and three Pakistanis outside the Sheraton Hotel on May 8th; and 12 Pakistanis outside the US consulate on June 14th.
Two of the suspects, Mr Mohammad Imran Bhai and Mr Hanif Ayub, were produced at the press conference today. The third detained suspect, Mr Mohammad Ahmed Danyal, was not produced for legal reasons, an official said.
All three belong to a group called the Harkatul Mujahedeen-al-Alaami, an offshoot of the banned Kashmiri militant outfit Harkatul Mujahideen, Rangers chief Major General Salahuddin Satti said.
He said the blast was a suicide bombing in which the bomber was among the 12 killed. 500 kilograms of explosives were used in the blast.
AFP