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| Hunt for Lahore cricket attackers | Hunt for Lahore cricket attackers |
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| Pakistani police are hunting gunmen who attacked a convoy carrying Sri Lanka's cricket team in the city of Lahore. | Pakistani police are hunting gunmen who attacked a convoy carrying Sri Lanka's cricket team in the city of Lahore. |
| The masked men opened fire, killing six policemen escorting the Sri Lankans and a driver. Seven players and an assistant coach were wounded. | The masked men opened fire, killing six policemen escorting the Sri Lankans and a driver. Seven players and an assistant coach were wounded. |
| The gunmen, believed to be in their twenties, escaped. The Lahore police chief said they appeared well-trained. | The gunmen, believed to be in their twenties, escaped. The Lahore police chief said they appeared well-trained. |
| Officials said the incident bore similarities to deadly attacks in Mumbai in India last November. | Officials said the incident bore similarities to deadly attacks in Mumbai in India last November. |
| The Mumbai bombings were blamed on Pakistan-based Islamic militants. | The Mumbai bombings were blamed on Pakistan-based Islamic militants. |
| Officials said about 12 gunmen were involved in Tuesday's attack on the Liberty Square roundabout in the heart of Lahore. | Officials said about 12 gunmen were involved in Tuesday's attack on the Liberty Square roundabout in the heart of Lahore. |
| The ambush took place as the Sri Lankans were on their way to play a Test match against their Pakistani hosts at the Gaddafi stadium. | The ambush took place as the Sri Lankans were on their way to play a Test match against their Pakistani hosts at the Gaddafi stadium. |
| INJURED PLAYERS Thilan Samaraweera (hospital)Tharanga Paranavitana (hospital)Mahela JayawardeneKumar SangakkaraAjantha MendisSuranga LakmalChaminda VaasAssistant coach Paul Farbrace Profiles of playersIn pictures: Cricketers attackedBus driver's dramatic escape | INJURED PLAYERS Thilan Samaraweera (hospital)Tharanga Paranavitana (hospital)Mahela JayawardeneKumar SangakkaraAjantha MendisSuranga LakmalChaminda VaasAssistant coach Paul Farbrace Profiles of playersIn pictures: Cricketers attackedBus driver's dramatic escape |
| The BBC's Barbara Plett, in Islamabad, says accounts suggest the attack was sophisticated, with one group of gunmen firing a rocket-propelled grenade to create a diversion, while others fired on the convoy. | The BBC's Barbara Plett, in Islamabad, says accounts suggest the attack was sophisticated, with one group of gunmen firing a rocket-propelled grenade to create a diversion, while others fired on the convoy. |
| Sri Lanka's assistant coach Paul Farbrace, who is British, told the BBC: "There was a lot of shouting and people hitting the floor and when I got to the floor I realised that the blood that I could see was coming from me - luckily superficial wounds." | Sri Lanka's assistant coach Paul Farbrace, who is British, told the BBC: "There was a lot of shouting and people hitting the floor and when I got to the floor I realised that the blood that I could see was coming from me - luckily superficial wounds." |
| Sri Lankan wicket-keeper Kumar Sangakkara told Australia's ABC radio that he and his team mates probably owed their lives to their bus driver. | Sri Lankan wicket-keeper Kumar Sangakkara told Australia's ABC radio that he and his team mates probably owed their lives to their bus driver. |
| "We had an amazing driver who just kept driving the bus straight through all of that to the ground and that's probably what saved us." | "We had an amazing driver who just kept driving the bus straight through all of that to the ground and that's probably what saved us." |
| The driver of a bus following behind, carrying the Australian umpires, was killed. | |
| Officials in Lahore said two members of the Sri Lankan team, Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavitana, were sent to hospital. | Officials in Lahore said two members of the Sri Lankan team, Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavitana, were sent to hospital. |
| None of the attackers was apprehended at the scene. Grenades and rocket launchers were found there, police said. | None of the attackers was apprehended at the scene. Grenades and rocket launchers were found there, police said. |
| Following the attack, the sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), cast doubt on Pakistan's ability to host high-level games. | Following the attack, the sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), cast doubt on Pakistan's ability to host high-level games. |
| "It's difficult to see international cricket being played in Pakistan for the foreseeable future," ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said in London. | "It's difficult to see international cricket being played in Pakistan for the foreseeable future," ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said in London. |
| ICC President David Morgan said the attack had changed the whole landscape for international cricket. | ICC President David Morgan said the attack had changed the whole landscape for international cricket. |
| 'Security failure' | 'Security failure' |
| Pakistani cricket was already suffering from serious security concerns. | Pakistani cricket was already suffering from serious security concerns. |
| Last month the ICC decided not to hold the 2009 Champions Trophy there due to safety worries. | |
| FROM THE BBC WORLD SERVICE More from BBC World Service | FROM THE BBC WORLD SERVICE More from BBC World Service |
| It is now considering whether Pakistan can co-host the cricket World Cup, due to be held across four South Asian countries in 2011. | |
| Pakistan invited Sri Lanka to tour only after India's cricket team pulled out of a scheduled tour following the Mumbai attacks. | |
| The Pakistani politician Imran Khan, a former captain of the country's cricket team, said the Sri Lankan visitors had been given inadequate protection. | The Pakistani politician Imran Khan, a former captain of the country's cricket team, said the Sri Lankan visitors had been given inadequate protection. |
| "This was one of the worst security failures in Pakistan," he said. "The Pakistan government guaranteed the Sri Lankan cricket team that they would provide them security." | "This was one of the worst security failures in Pakistan," he said. "The Pakistan government guaranteed the Sri Lankan cricket team that they would provide them security." |
| Our correspondent says security forces will be investigating any connections to al-Qaeda and Taleban militants as well as Kashmiri jihadi groups. | Our correspondent says security forces will be investigating any connections to al-Qaeda and Taleban militants as well as Kashmiri jihadi groups. |
| Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse condemned the "cowardly terrorist attack" and ordered the players' evacuation back to Sri Lanka. | |
| Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari also condemned the attack, and ordered an immediate investigation "so that the perpetrators are identified and their motives exposed", said a statement from his office. | |
| Meanwhile, a spokesperson for India's foreign ministry urged Pakistan to take "prompt, meaningful and decisive steps to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure once and for all". | |
| But a Pakistani minister, Sardar Nabil Ahmed Gabol, reportedly told private Geo TV that evidence suggested the attackers came across the border from India. | But a Pakistani minister, Sardar Nabil Ahmed Gabol, reportedly told private Geo TV that evidence suggested the attackers came across the border from India. |
| He said the assault came in reaction to the Mumbai attacks, and was a "declaration of open war on Pakistan by India". | He said the assault came in reaction to the Mumbai attacks, and was a "declaration of open war on Pakistan by India". |
| Pakistan is engaged in a bloody struggle against Islamist insurgents who have staged high-profile attacks on civilian targets before. | Pakistan is engaged in a bloody struggle against Islamist insurgents who have staged high-profile attacks on civilian targets before. |
| Meanwhile, Sri Lankan authorities are waging their own domestic military campaign against Tamil Tiger separatist rebels. | Meanwhile, Sri Lankan authorities are waging their own domestic military campaign against Tamil Tiger separatist rebels. |
| Are you in Lahore? Did you witness the shooting? Send us your experiences using the form below. Do not endanger yourself or others. | Are you in Lahore? Did you witness the shooting? Send us your experiences using the form below. Do not endanger yourself or others. |