India's Revenge: RAW Attacks Cricketers in Pakistan

[Bull]

There wasnt no 20 minutes AK 47 assualt on the bus.
The bus carrying srilankan players drove away from the spot of assualt within less than couple of minutes of the attack.
The gun battle with cops may have lasted longer.

What about the other bus. Only one bus drew away.

 

[rubyjackass]

May be the bus was there for less time to get many bullets

 

[SurvivoR]

Look at the bullet ridden police van and bus. Compare the bullet marks. Whom were they targeting the police or the cricketers.

How many where then?

The police vehilce is targeted because the elite force squad escorting the Sri Lankan players opned fire on the terrorists whereas the Bus driver sped the bus away.

Those eye witness accounts are out now. No counter firing, police jumping on the bus to escape from bullets. If there was counter firing how were they walking so cool.

And who is your eyewitness?

The Broad ? Who is as much wearing yellow glasses as you are who could not see the policeman (the single policeman who jumped on the bus was already shot in his BACK)

Broad i feel must be blind who could not notice the cop was shot in back.


You an Indian can discredit the sacrifice and death of our 6 elite force policmen who were brave but we and humanity can not.

Now you continue with your misleading tries.

 

[Bull]

And who is your eyewitness?

The Broad ? Who is as much wearing yellow glasses as you are who could not see the policeman (the single policeman who jumped on the bus was already shot in his BACK)

Broad i feel must be blind who could not notice the cop was shot in back.


You an Indian can discredit the sacrifice and death of our 6 elite force policmen who were brave but we and humanity can not.

Now you continue with your misleading tries.

I was not there to see it and so have to rely on eye witness accounts on the web. And then what i saw on TV. There was definitly no counter firing. Or else how can you expect them to roam around so free.

And what were the police guys shooting at, they all got away scott free.

 

[godsavetheworld]

Lol. Come now, you surely don't believe what you just wrote

Why on earth would Pakistan shoot up the Sri Lankans when it is Pakistani $$ that will be lost through the relocation of cricket matches to other areas of the world. Simple cricketing economics. You lose home matches, you lose huge amounts of money. A packed stadium for a Pakistan home match generates huge $$ relative to GDP, and that's without all the advertizing and other sales going on.

If Pakistan attacked the Sri Lankans to get sympathy, why do it to tarnish the image of Pakistan and drive away this revenue? Surely Pakistan could have attacked a softer target, created a hostage drama like in Mumbai, got all the news stations down there, and prolonged the episode as much as possible in order to get maximum news coverage. This was over in 15 minutes with a minimum of news coverage.

It's simply nothing gained by Pakistan in carrying out this attack that tarnishes its sporting image. A lot is gained by RAW (and credible threats were received RAW would attack the Sri Lankans) and Mukherjee's comments threatening the Sri Lankans if they dare set foot to play a cricket match in Pakistan

Terrorism is not ment to look at economics, if that werent so they would be called economists not terrorists. The fact that the event itself has had us so capitivated, explains the magnitude and the bizarre nature of the attack. We cannot rationalise what has happened, cuz if we could we wouldnt be needing investigating agencies.

]If Pakistan attacked the Sri Lankans to get sympathy, why do it to tarnish the image of Pakistan and drive away this revenue?[/B]

Well why did you let terrorism prosper, and tar away safety and wealth out your country?
If I would have asked you this question in 1990s you would have said "It was impossible for Pakistan to tar away its economy", but here we are. If you can explain that, only then can you explain why Pakistan wouldnt have been involved.

A lot is gained by RAW (and credible threats were received RAW would attack the Sri Lankans)

I am sure you wouldnt believe anything short of RAW being involved. But then tell me, how come their route was changed? How the area wasnt coordoned off, before the arrival of the team? How come there were no commandoes aboard the bus or in the escort car? How come the players and the match officials were left "abandoned"? If RAW carried out everything.. then Im amazed to the extent RAW has infiltrated into the establishment to break even a "presidential" security and carry out an operation ranging from changing the route, hiring non-bulllet proof buses, bribing all policimen in Lahore to not coordorn of the area and finally stage a dramatic walkout.

If all of it were true, then RAW needs to be hailed as the most as the most successful intellegence agency in the world.

 

[roadrunner]

Bull you're in denial.

That's real blood, not tomato ketchup.

 

[Bull]

Bull you're in denial.

That's real blood, not tomato ketchup.

Why was the Pakistani team delayed?

The question was raised by Chris Broad, match referee: “On the first two days [of the Test] both buses left at the same time with escorts. On this particular day the Pakistan bus left five minutes after the Sri Lankan bus. Why?”

Simon Taufel, an umpire added: "One thing I have been impressed about in Pakistan as that logistically they are usually very well organised. They normally depart on time,"

Younis Khan, Pakistan team captain, confirmed the delay: "Thank God we decided to leave our hotel five minutes after the Sri Lankans."

Given it was delayed, was the security escort split between the two teams (Pakistan and Sri Lanka)?

Muttiah Muralitharan, the Sri Lankan spin bowler, said: "Normally all the buses go and we have four or five escorts. We left at 8.30am, and Younis Khan at 8.35am. We divided into two."

How many police vehicles and officers were protecting the Sri Lankan team when it was attacked?

Mehar Mohammed Khalil, driver of the Sri Lankan bus, said the police escort comprised four vans, each carrying six armed officers, and four police outriders on motorcycles.

Chris Broad said: “There was not a sign of a policeman anywhere. They had clearly left the scene and left us to be sitting ducks."

Why were the police unable to kill or capture any of the gunmen?

Mr Khalil said: "I thought it was very strange that the bullets fired by the elite police didn't hit the attackers."

Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka team captain, added: "They [the gunmen] were not under pressure ... nobody was firing at them."

If the teams were promised presidential level security (jamming devices, bullet-proof vehicles etc), why was it not provided?

Chris Broad and the players said Pakistani officials had promised to give them “presidential style" security as part of efforts to convince them to make the trip. “I am extremely angry we were promised high-level security and in our hour of need that security vanished and we were left just open to anything,” he said.

To what extent did the political turmoil in Punjab contribute to the crisis?

Almost all the senior posts in Lahore City and Punjab provincial police have been changed in the previous few days since President Zardari's party took control of the province.

----Times----

Enough proof it was a botched drama staged in lahore.

 

[Khajur]

What about the other bus. Only one bus drew away.

U mean the van carrying match officials...their driver was shot dead and one pakistani umpire inside it got critically injured.

As the bus carrying the players fled,the attackers killed few police men & injured some and left the place since their target was already gone.

 

[Stumper]

Sorry for posting this here ... other threads seems to have diluted.

Can somebody draw up the chain of events (without emotions please). Sorry, im not a

From what i can make out :

1.The BUS original route was changed by a anonymous call.

2.There were three vehicles. The BUS carrying players. A mini van carrying officials and the security escort vehicle.

3.Near the circle, bus stopped or was made to stop (can anybody confirmed if it was forced to stop)

4.12 people from different direction attacked the convoy.

5. A group attacked the police van. Killing 5 policemen.

6. The other group was busy attacking the players bus. A rocket of sort was fired at the players bus. 4 SL players sustain bullet injuries.

7. A grenade was launched underneath the bus.

8.BUS driver manage to speed away the bus inside the stadium.

9.A few attackers leave on foot and few on bikes , as per video i saw on IBM (can someone confirm how was the exit for all).They melt away in the city.

10. No sign of Police chase or cordon.

11.The attackers were found to have dumped the weapon.


A few details missing :
1.Did this guys also attack the Match official van as well ?
2.How long did the whole attack last? range offered in forum is 2, 15 and 30 mins... which one is correct?
3.How many police man were protecting the caravan? (editing here ... as per BULL ... 4 Escorts with 6 guards in each = 24 Guards) + 4 motorbike escorts. So total of 28 guards.
4.Can we draw the time lines for major phase's of attack?

 

[SurvivoR]

U mean the van carrying match officials...their driver was shot dead and one pakistani umpire inside it got critically injured.

As the bus carrying the players fled,the attackers killed few police men & injured some and left the place since their target was already gone.

Bull will still go ranting again and again over some imaginery thinking.

Here is gratitude from a Sri Lankan for the Pakistani Driver who's timely action saved the bus from being targeted.


Thank You Mr. Bus Driver !
K.R. Pushparanjan Mt. Lavinia Sri Lanka.

It’s with irresistible delight the whole country watched and read the heroic act of the bus driver who was conveying our cricketing ambassadors to the Lahore stadium on that fatal day March 03, 2009. If not for the timely and levelheaded action taken by Mr. Mehar Mohammad Khalil who was driving our cricketing heroes to the ground on this fateful day, not only to the cricketing fans but to the whole country it would have been a true melancholy and a desolation. In fact had he not had the bold and conscientious mind to get the bus moving after the initial attack our loving heroes would have been a far easy target for the fanatics.

This diminutive man seems to have driven the bus at full speed carrying the cricket team, without leaving it and running away which would have been the safest thing for him to do in terms of his personal safety.

Sri Lankans must pay a special tribute to this simple but extraordinary man for his remarkable bravery in the face of direct gunfire from highly sophisticated weapons of ruthless, brutal barbarians.


I feel that our Cricket Board must get Mr. Mehar Mohammad Khalil down to Sri Lanka and bestow a special accolade in recognizing his brave action that saved our adoring champions.



LankaWeb News

 

[Stumper]

Why was the Pakistani team delayed?

Enough proof it was a botched drama staged in lahore.

Bull ..Its obvious that this guys DID intend to go back alive. But cant be drama. Remember this guys fired on the bus (hence the injuries to the player). Also the rocket and grenade rules out a staged attack possibility. Kill ratio (per attacker seems low) as this guys hastened. They made a quick exit for some reason.

 

[Bull]

Bull ..Its obvious that this guys DID intend to go back alive. But cant be drama. Remember this guys fired on the bus (hence the injuries to the player). Also the rocket and grenade rules out a staged attack possibility. Kill ratio (per attacker seems low) as this guys hastened. They made a quick exit for some reason.

Quick exit? They were there firing for 20 odd minutes and i dont think they were spraying bullets. Atleast not in the video. There were several gaps between shots as of they were aiming and still they missed.

 

[S-2]

I think what you'd find here isn't terribly indicting by itself. The RPG-22 is a Soviet copy of the M72 LAW. U.S. Army forces have been using them since at least 1969. The Soviet weapons came on the scene in 1985.

They're commonplace and can be found all across the southern arc of the former Soviet stans and now the CARs to include (obviously) as far west as Chechnya.

One shot disposable weapon with no cumbersome launcher for a motorcycle ride or small cars. Shoot and leave it.

It indicates to me that there was some consideration to the choice of weapons for stealth and ease of transportation. It's my opinion that the RPG-22 (based on firing the LAW) would be less accurate than a RPG-7. The M72 LAW takes a very steady hand to shoot accurately and we trained to fire in volley to achieve hits. Only two were shot here.

Somebody had access to choices and found this acceptable. I believe that it's less obvious as a weapon, easier to hide in a car or while riding on motorbike, and something that's not a worry after firing.

Implicating the Indians may also play into this as, evidently, it's used by them. I don't see that as a factor though. These weapons are not at all unusual to those who can access the arms markets around the region.

Two interesting theories- 1.) LeT kidnapping to achieve a prisoner swap. If so, for what were the RPGs intended which missed? Surely not the players bus if true and, 2.) RAW as the culprits based upon the alleged memos and absence of denials from your named security officials. If your government wishes to suggest that the memos from late January are accurate, they've much to answer for in their preparation for this event.

Good men died. Of that, there's no question. There's much to be disturbed about from the video. That bus and party were isolated to judge by the terrorists reactions. The terrorists truly were in no hurry and there was a decided casual gait to their demeanor.

THAT's UNUSUAL. The scene was stunningly placid. Surreal and serene at once. Almost otherworldly.

 

[SurvivoR]

Bull ..Its obvious that this guys DID intend to go back alive. But cant be drama. Remember this guys fired on the bus (hence the injuries to the player). Also the rocket and grenade rules out a staged attack possibility. Kill ratio (per attacker seems low) as this guys hastened. They made a quick exit for some reason.

They killed 8 people. It is not some joke. 6 of them were elite police force personnel who have sacrificed their lives while countering the terrorists.

 

[Bull]

They killed 8 people. It is not some joke. 6 of them were elite police force personnel who have sacrificed their lives while countering the terrorists.

So? Did i say the police wasnt killed. Police were killed but not the obvious targets the players, this even after they had a field run for about 20 minutes with AK47, Grenades and Rocket launchers.