Benezir Bhutto Dies in Attack!

[SlowwHand]

ISLAMABAD (AFP) - Pakistan's interior ministry said Friday that Benazir Bhutto was killed after smashing her head on her car's sunroof while trying to duck, and that no bullet or shrapnel was found inside her.

The ministry also said it had intercepted a phone call from a top Al-Qaeda figure congratulating a militant for the attack on her Thursday, and said there was "irrefutable evidence" the group was trying to destabilise the country.

The bomber also apparently fired three times at her but missed, Cheema said.

When she ducked, she hit the lever of the sunroof of the car that was to speed her away from a campaign rally as she was gearing up to contest parliamentary elections set for January 8.

"The lever struck near her right ear and fractured her skull," Cheema said. "There was no bullet or metal shrapnel found in the injury."

Now I think we have an answer for why suicide bombing. They can't shoot straight.

[Proteus_MST]

Ouch, if that is true it is really sad,
killing yourself while successfully trying to escape a situation where someone wants to kill you

[germanos]

When she ducked, she hit the lever of the sunroof of the car that was to speed her away from a campaign rally as she was gearing up to contest parliamentary elections set for January 8.

"The lever struck near her right ear and fractured her skull," Cheema said. "There was no bullet or metal shrapnel found in the injury."

Al Qaeda is getting REALLY good at assasinations

[Imran Siddiqui]

You know, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I mean, I can see if she ducked and that concussion of the bomb slammed her hard into the roof lever, but if it was just from ducking really quickly to avoid being shot, why doesn't that sort of thing happen a whole lot?

[aneeshm]

Originally posted by LordShiva

You know that I wasn't serious, right?

[aneeshm]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
You know, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I mean, I can see if she ducked and that concussion of the bomb slammed her hard into the roof lever, but if it was just from ducking really quickly to avoid being shot, why doesn't that sort of thing happen a whole lot?

It doesn't. I wouldn't trust the Pakistani establishment as far as I could throw it.

[snoopy369]

aneeshm, given that you have successfully cultivated the personality of a somewhat ... radical ... anti-muslim anti-pakistani, you should probably be more clear on these things

[aneeshm]

An update:

Bhutto's e-mail said she'd blame Musharraf if killed

Two months before her death, former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto sent an e-mail to her US adviser and longtime friend, saying that if she were killed, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf would bear some of the blame.

She cited his government's denial of her request for additional security measures after the October suicide bombing that targeted her upon returning to Pakistan from exile.

"Nothing will, God willing happen," she wrote to Mark Siegel, her US spokesman, lobbyist and friend.

"Just wanted u to know if it does in addition to the names in my letter to Musharaf of Oct 16nth, I would hold Musharaf responsible. I have been made to feel insecure by his minions and there is no way what is happening in terms of stopping me from taking private cars or using tinted windows or giving jammers or four police mobiles to cover all sides could happen without him."

Bhutto was seeking to become prime minister for a third time when she was assassinated; her death comes exactly two weeks before Pakistan's January 8 parliamentary elections.

Pakistan's ambassador to the U.S., Mahmud Ali Durrani, on Thursday insisted Musharraf's government provided the former prime minister with unprecedented security. He said that terrorists and extremists, who also have targeted Musharraf, were the only ones responsible for her death.

Bhutto wrote the e-mail on October 26, eight days after at least 130 people were killed and hundreds more wounded in Karachi by the suicide bombing that occurred as Bhutto's motorcade passed.

Siegel forwarded that e-mail to CNN's Wolf Blitzer, with instructions he not report on it unless Bhutto was killed.

Just before returning to Pakistan after eight years of self-imposed exile, Bhutto told CNN she was aware of threats against her and said that some had come from people who hold "high positions" in Pakistan's government. She said she had written a letter to Musharraf about her fears, apparently the same letter she refers to in her e-mail to Siegel.

In a speech, she listed four groups she believed posed the biggest threat to her and her cause -- the Taliban in Pakistan, the Taliban in Afghanistan, al Qaeda and a suicide team from Karachi that she did not describe.

After the October bombing, she accused elements in the government and security services of trying to kill her and asked Musharraf for "basic security," including vehicles with tinted windows and private guards in addition to police guards. Three United States senators repeated the request in a letter to Musharraf.

Bhutto was concerned by the lack of security she had upon her arrival in Karachi and called the October 18 bombing "very suspicious," Siegel said. He accused Pakistani authorities of not investigating the assassination attempt and of refusing Bhutto's request for Scotland Yard and the FBI to aid in the investigation.

Bhutto and her husband had asked for jammers to impede the detonation of bombs; special vehicles with tinted windows; and four police vehicles to surround her at all times, Siegel said.

"She basically asked for all that was required for someone of the standing of a former prime minister," Siegel told CNN's "The Situation Room." "All of that was denied to her. ... She got some police protection, but it was sporadic and erratic."

Bhutto was concerned the problem was worsening as the January elections neared, Siegel said.

At the time of the October suicide bombing, Bhutto was riding in a truck from Karachi's airport to the tomb of Mohammed Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan. She had moved from the roof to inside the bulletproof, armed vehicle just moments before the blast and was unharmed.

CNN's Dan Rivers, in Karachi to cover her return to Pakistan, remarked at the time that her security appeared to be loose, saying his crew was able to walk up to the side of her vehicle without being stopped by authorities.

[BeBMan]

"The Situation Room" is one of those news shows that make me cry.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Vesayen
Just checking.

Does anyone NOT think Musharraf was responsible for this?

Yesterday, I was suspecious but was not pointing any fingers. Then last night, I watched various world leaders read their statements.
Bush looked shocked and saddened.
Karsai looked shocked and sadden.
Musharraf (who has survived al Qaeda death plots) looked neither shock nor saddened.

J'accuse!!

[Apocalypse]

Originally posted by Vesayen
Just checking.

Does anyone NOT think Musharraf was responsible for this?

Me

[Traianvs]

Originally posted by Apocalypse
Me

Me too, mainly for the reason I pointed out in post #107 on page 4

[LordShiva]

Can a mod please fix teh spelling in teh thread title?

[Darius871]

Originally posted by lord of the mark
Ive been listening to NPR and didnt hear that figure cited.

Originally posted by Oerdin
I did. They said she was accused of stealing up to $1.5 billion but that a conservative number was $1 billion. The woman was a kleptomaniac.

I heard on NBC that she once stole a 48" pizza.

[Deity Dude]

I havn't read this whole thread so if this came up already please forgive me.

Can anyone tell me why in one of the most dangerous countries in the world she is standing about 4 feet above the roof of a car with absolutely no apparent security in a crowd of about 10,000 people, some of whom are litereally about 2 feet away from her.

The Sun has a vidfeo of the actual assaination. The total lack of security is ridiculous.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article628825.ece