Pakistani channel airs visuals of terrorists escaping after Lahore attack

Islamabad, March 4 : A Pakistani TV news channel Wednesday aired dramatic visuals of the terrorists who attacked the Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore escaping from the spot on motorcycles and on foot.

The four sets of visuals Geo TV aired were captured by CCTV cameras in the lanes around the Liberty market area near the Gaddafi Stadium where a group of terrorists, said to number 12, sprayed bullets on the Sri Lanka team bus.

"The exclusive footage reveals that attackers carried out the heinous act with full impunity. They started firing indiscriminately at the cricketers' bus at 8.39 a.m. on March 3 and managed to flee from the spot at 8.46 a.m," Geo TV said in a posting on its website.

"The attackers, as shown in the footage, faced no hindrance and kept lurking about Liberty Chowk area freely. They came toward Firdous market and used the same route for exit. The footage shows attackers in groups who were carrying heavy bags.

"According to CCTV footage, attackers had sophisticated weapons. Despite being a red zone area of the city, no security arrangements were seen in the footage. The modus operandi of the attackers reminds one of Mumbai attacks. They carried backpacks stuffed with dried fruit, mineral water and wanted to hijack the bus of Sri Lankan cricketers," the channel said.

One of the visuals showed two armed terrorists running 50 metres down a lane to where another man waited on a motorcycle. The rider kick starts the machine, the other two get on and the motorcycle speeds away.

Another visual showed a terrorist brandishing his weapon as he ran up a deserted street.

The visuals seemed to give the lie to the claims of the police that they had cordoned off the area immediately after the 25-minute attack began at around 8.30 a.m.

The attack site was also close to a police station.

Soon after the attack, the authorities claimed to have arrested four men from Lahore's Model Town area for their alleged involvement in the attack.

Pakistani authorities said Wednesday that 60 people had been arrested for their alleged involvement in the attack, which left eight people dead and six players and their assistant coach injured.

The incident prompted the Sri Lankan government to call off the tour of Pakistan and the squad was flown home Tuesday evening.

--IANS