Islamabad: Dramatic footage aired on a Pakistani news channel today showed the final moments before a teenage suicide bomber blew himself up outside the Peshawar
Press Club, killing four persons and injuring over 20 others in the first terrorist attack on the media.
The footage, captured by two closed circuit cameras of
the Press Club, showed the bomber wearing the traditional
salwar-kameez and a black jacket walking up to the gate
shortly before 11.45 am yesterday.
After speaking briefly to a policeman, he was allowed to
walk through the gate.
As the policeman began frisking him, the bomber appeared
to pull away and put his hand into the pocket of his jacket.
This was followed by a powerful explosion that blew out
the Press Club's metal gates.
A woman passer-by, the Club's accountant and the
policeman deployed at the gate, Riazuddin Khan, were among the
four persons killed in the attack. Several journalists were
among those who were injured.
The media in Peshawar has been effusive in praising
Riazuddin Khan, saying he had prevented further death and
destruction by preventing the bomber from entering the Press
Club.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, December 23, 2009, 18:39