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| Angry funeral after Pakistan raid | Angry funeral after Pakistan raid |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Funerals have been held in Pakistan for people killed in a helicopter strike on an Islamic school which the government says was used by militants. | Funerals have been held in Pakistan for people killed in a helicopter strike on an Islamic school which the government says was used by militants. |
| There were angry scenes as they were buried - with denunciations of Monday's attack by Islamists, who say most of the 70-80 people who died were pupils. | There were angry scenes as they were buried - with denunciations of Monday's attack by Islamists, who say most of the 70-80 people who died were pupils. |
| But officials insist the victims were fighters. The raid occurred in a remote tribal area near the Afghan border. | But officials insist the victims were fighters. The raid occurred in a remote tribal area near the Afghan border. |
| The region is said to provide refuge for al-Qaeda and Taleban militants. | The region is said to provide refuge for al-Qaeda and Taleban militants. |
| A local leader with suspected links to al-Qaeda, Faqir Mohammed, addressed a crowd of 10,000 mourners. | A local leader with suspected links to al-Qaeda, Faqir Mohammed, addressed a crowd of 10,000 mourners. |
| "The government attacked and killed our innocent people on orders from America," he is quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency. "It is an open aggression." | |
| This was an unprovoked attack on a madrassa - they were innocent people Siraj ul-HaqProvincial minister In pictures: Madrassa hit Your say: Pakistan militancy | This was an unprovoked attack on a madrassa - they were innocent people Siraj ul-HaqProvincial minister In pictures: Madrassa hit Your say: Pakistan militancy |
| A cabinet minister from Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, Siraj ul-Haq, resigned in protest. | A cabinet minister from Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, Siraj ul-Haq, resigned in protest. |
| "This is a very wrong action. They [the victims] were not given any warning. This was an unprovoked attack on a madrassa. | "This is a very wrong action. They [the victims] were not given any warning. This was an unprovoked attack on a madrassa. |
| "They were innocent people," Mr ul-Haq told the Associated Press before resigning. | "They were innocent people," Mr ul-Haq told the Associated Press before resigning. |
| There was widespread condemnation of the air strike from Islamic leaders elsewhere in Pakistan. | |
| The MMA, a coalition of religious parties, called a protest on Tuesday in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city. | |
| No deal | No deal |
| The attack took place near Khar, the main town in tribal area of Bajaur, in the early hours of Monday. | The attack took place near Khar, the main town in tribal area of Bajaur, in the early hours of Monday. |
| The army said the religious school, or madrassa, was used as a military camp. | The army said the religious school, or madrassa, was used as a military camp. |
| Army spokesman Gen Shaukat Sultan said the strike that destroyed it had killed militants only. | Army spokesman Gen Shaukat Sultan said the strike that destroyed it had killed militants only. |
| "There was no collateral damage," he said. | "There was no collateral damage," he said. |
| The attack came as the government was due to sign a peace deal with pro-Taleban militants in the area, which now appears to have failed. | The attack came as the government was due to sign a peace deal with pro-Taleban militants in the area, which now appears to have failed. |
| There is sympathy for the Taleban and al-Qaeda among tribesmen in Bajaur and that is believed to translate into active support, the BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says. | There is sympathy for the Taleban and al-Qaeda among tribesmen in Bajaur and that is believed to translate into active support, the BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says. |
| Pakistan has deployed nearly 80,000 troops along the border. | Pakistan has deployed nearly 80,000 troops along the border. |
| They are there to hunt militants who sought refuge after the ousting of the Taleban in Afghanistan in 2001. | They are there to hunt militants who sought refuge after the ousting of the Taleban in Afghanistan in 2001. |
| President Pervez Musharraf has pledged to reform madrassas after many were criticised for supporting Islamic militancy. | President Pervez Musharraf has pledged to reform madrassas after many were criticised for supporting Islamic militancy. |
| The leader of the madrassa, radical cleric Maulana Liaqat, was among the dead. | The leader of the madrassa, radical cleric Maulana Liaqat, was among the dead. |
| 'Saddened' | 'Saddened' |
| An eyewitness told the BBC that the madrassa was filled with about 80 local students who had resumed studies after the Muslim Eid holidays. | An eyewitness told the BBC that the madrassa was filled with about 80 local students who had resumed studies after the Muslim Eid holidays. |
| At least three helicopters were reportedly involved in the attack | At least three helicopters were reportedly involved in the attack |
| Journalists trying to get to the scene were being turned back as they tried to enter the Bajaur region. | Journalists trying to get to the scene were being turned back as they tried to enter the Bajaur region. |
| The attack came two days after local militants attended a rally in the area where they declared the al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden and Taleban chief Mullah Muhammad Omar as their heroes. | The attack came two days after local militants attended a rally in the area where they declared the al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden and Taleban chief Mullah Muhammad Omar as their heroes. |
| Bajaur, which borders Afghanistan's insurgency-plagued eastern province of Kunar, was the scene of a controversial US air strike in January, believed to be aimed at al-Qaeda number two Ayman al-Zawahiri. | Bajaur, which borders Afghanistan's insurgency-plagued eastern province of Kunar, was the scene of a controversial US air strike in January, believed to be aimed at al-Qaeda number two Ayman al-Zawahiri. |
| The 13 January raid killed at least 18 people, mostly civilians. | The 13 January raid killed at least 18 people, mostly civilians. |
| In May, Pakistani authorities said a senior al-Qaeda figure, Abu Marwan al-Suri, had been killed in Bajaur during a clash with local police. | In May, Pakistani authorities said a senior al-Qaeda figure, Abu Marwan al-Suri, had been killed in Bajaur during a clash with local police. |