Peshawar suicide attacker entered high-security zone in police uniform

PTI

Peshawar, February 2

A suicide bomber who killed 101 people at a mosque inside a major police facility in Peshawar had disguised himself in a police uniform to sneak into the high security zone and was riding a motorcycle with a helmet and mask on, a top police official said today.

We sowed seeds of terrorism

Worshippers were not killed during prayers even in India or Israel but it happened in Pakistan. This war started from Swat during the PPP's tenure and it concluded during the PML-N's previous regime. We sowed the seeds of terrorism. Khawaja Asif , Defence Minister, Pakistan

The guards at the security checkpoint at the main entrance of the Police Lines area did not check the bomber dressed in police uniform and let him go inside, Inspector General of Police of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Moazzam Jah Ansari told the media here.

The CCTV footage shows that the bomber entered the Police Lines area via Khyber Road, he said.

He added that the attacker had also asked about the way to the mosque from a police officer. The bomber asked a 'havaldar' where the mosque was in Pashto language, he said, adding that the motorcycle registration number has been traced.

He said the attacker was not an individual, but rather had a whole network supporting him. He said the police were close to the terrorist network responsible for the bombing.

The suicide bomber blew himself up during the afternoon prayers on Monday in the mosque in the Police Lines area, killing 101 people, including 97 policemen, and injuring more than 200 others. The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack.