Early blast clues point to tribal areas

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- A Pakistani official said Sunday early clues indicate the bombers of an Islamabad hotel came from the country's restive northwestern tribal areas.

While it was still unknown who was responsible for Saturday's deadly blast at the Marriott Hotel that killed at least 53 and injured 266, Rehman Malik, an adviser to President Asif Ali Zardari, told the Associated Press of Pakistan "all roads led" to the tribal areas.

"It is yet premature to blame any particular group or individual for the blast, however, all roads lead to Waziristan," located in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan's lawless Northwest Frontier Province.

U.S. and Pakistani officials say Waziristan is home to thousands of al-Qaida and other Islamists and is a frequent launching point for terrorist attacks in Pakistan and in bordering Afghanistan. The area has seen an intense push by the Pakistani army in recent months.

Malik told the news service the hotel attackers used high-quality military-type explosives TNT and RDX to produce the biggest terrorist blast ever seen in Pakistan. The explosives also contained aluminum powder to cause a fire that quickly gutted the hotel, he said.