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Rally condemns Pakistan air raid | Rally condemns Pakistan air raid |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Tribesmen in Pakistan have rallied against Islamabad's alliance with the US after an air strike on an alleged militant camp at an Islamic school. | Tribesmen in Pakistan have rallied against Islamabad's alliance with the US after an air strike on an alleged militant camp at an Islamic school. |
At least 10,000 people protested in the north-western town of Khar near the site of Monday's missile attack. | |
President Pervez Musharraf said the 80 people killed were militants, not students as protesters say. | |
But a raid survivor told the Associated Press that children had died and the school had not been used by militants. | |
In his first comments since the raid, Gen Musharraf said those killed were "militants doing military training". | |
"We were watching them for the last six or seven days - we knew exactly who they are, what they are doing," he told a conference in Islamabad. | |
"Anyone who says that these people were innocent Taleban [religious students] is telling lies," he said. | |
"There was not militant training in the madrassa," one of three survivors from the air raid, told the Associated Press from his hospital bed. | |
Prince calls off trip 'Shock and awe' on border "We had come here to learn Allah's religion," said 22-year-old Abu Bakar from Loi Sam, a town 15km (10 miles) from the destroyed school. | |
The tribesmen in Khar - the main town in the tribal Bajaur district - chanted "Death to Bush", calling for a holy war, or jihad, against America. | The tribesmen in Khar - the main town in the tribal Bajaur district - chanted "Death to Bush", calling for a holy war, or jihad, against America. |
The crowd shouted "Yes!" as local pro-Taleban elder Inayatur Rahman said a "squad of suicide bombers" had been prepared to target Pakistani security forces. | |
Small protests were held in Karachi and the city of Peshawar, the main city in North West Frontier Province which borders the tribal Bajaur district where the strike took place. | |
Intelligence 'shared' | |
Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, had been scheduled to visit Peshawar. | |
But the prince's spokesman said the trip had been cancelled following advice from the Pakistani government. | |
HAVE YOUR SAY I think the Pakistani government is creating problems for itself. It is an Islamic state and Islamism is allowed here Abdul Haleem, Faisalabad Send us your comments US and Pakistani military spokesmen have denied reports from some locals that the missiles were fired from a US drone. The Pakistani military say they carried out the raid from helicopters. | |
Pakistani Major General Shaukat Sultan told the Associated Press that "intelligence sharing" had taken place, but later denied saying that US-provided intelligence had been used in the attack. | Pakistani Major General Shaukat Sultan told the Associated Press that "intelligence sharing" had taken place, but later denied saying that US-provided intelligence had been used in the attack. |
"I can assure you without doubt that the United States military in Afghanistan had nothing to do with that attack," Reuters news agency quoted US Colonel Tom Collins as saying. | "I can assure you without doubt that the United States military in Afghanistan had nothing to do with that attack," Reuters news agency quoted US Colonel Tom Collins as saying. |
Controversial deal | Controversial deal |
Qazi Hussain Ahmed, a senior leader with the Islamist opposition coalition, the MMA, was travelling to Khar in a convoy to offer his condolences, a spokesman said. | Qazi Hussain Ahmed, a senior leader with the Islamist opposition coalition, the MMA, was travelling to Khar in a convoy to offer his condolences, a spokesman said. |
"They killed 80 teenagers who were students of the Koran," Mr Ahmed said, describing the strike as "very cruel joint-activity" between the US and Pakistan governments. | "They killed 80 teenagers who were students of the Koran," Mr Ahmed said, describing the strike as "very cruel joint-activity" between the US and Pakistan governments. |
The school or madrassa was destroyed in the attack | |
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. |
The government has faced criticism over the controversial peace deal, which was signed in September. | The government has faced criticism over the controversial peace deal, which was signed in September. |
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. |