Gilani says PM house was target of blast

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani says tight security helped prevent Saturday's Islamabad hotel attackers from hitting his residence.

Speaking to reporters in Lahore, Gilani said the prime minister's house was the target of the attack but tight security there ahead of a dinner gathering of the country's leaders deterred the attackers, who later bombed the nearby Marriott hotel, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

Gilani said the country's nuclear weapons are safe and terrorists cannot come near them, the report said.

Separately, the report quoted Interior Minister Rehman Malik as saying that initial investigation into the bombing revealed the attack had links in Pakistan's tribal areas.

"It is yet premature to blame any particular group or individual for the blast, however, all roads lead to Waziristan," Malik said. The attack killed at least 53 people, including the Czech Republic ambassador, two Americans and one Vietnamese national.

GEO TV, quoting interior officials, said the government planned to intensify security operations in the tribal areas with more security personnel in the next 48 hours. Pakistan's tribal areas are seen as haven for the Taliban and al-Qaida militants.

The Dawn reported there are questions as to how such huge quantities of highly explosive materials like RDX and TNT could be brought into the capital and then transported to a high security area.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the blast, Dawn said.

A BBC report said quoted Minister Malik as saying, "I do not believe this is a breakdown in security. The attackers had disguised the truck well as it was covered with a tarpaulin and loaded with bricks and gravel."