Frontline Pakistan : The Struggle With Militant Islam - Arz-e-Pak

Frontline Pakistan
of a Hilux van died on the spot, while Jackie Van Landingham, 33, a
consulate secretary, succumbed to her injuries on the way to hospital.
A third employee, Mark McCloy, escaped with a shot to his ankle. 24
The killing of the American officials came amidst a surge in sectarian
and factional violence that had led to hundreds of deaths in Karachi,
making it one of the most dangerous cities in the world. But it was the
first time foreigners were targeted. Investigations indicated that the
daring attack on the diplomatic vehicle was LeJ seeking revenge for
the extradition to the USA of Ramzi Yousuf. The pattern of the attacks
indicated that the same gang of terrorists involved in the attacks on
Shia mosques weeks before could also be involved in the killing of
American officials. 25
Pakistani authorities vigorously targeted LeJ following a series of
attacks that jolted Pakistan in the aftermath of the US invasion of
Afghanistan. During 2002, the security forces met with major success
when they killed or captured a significant number of LeJ activists.
Those who were killed also included two top LeJ leaders, Basra and
Asif Ramzi. Basra and his three associates were killed in May that year
in a shoot-out with police near Mailsi in Multan. 26 Ramzi, believed to
be the second-in-command to Basra, was killed in December in an
explosion at a chemical warehouse on the outskirts of Karachi. 27 One
of the most wanted terrorists, he was involved in more than 80 cases
of murder and was wanted for the attacks on the US Consulate and
Sheraton Hotel. Ramzi was the key link between the local militants
and al-Qaeda trying to regroup in Pakistan. Pakistani and US security
officials suspected that Ramzi had manufactured the explosives used
in the US Consulate attack.
On 17 June 2002, the security forces captured another notorious
LeJ leader, Akram Lahori, wanted in more than two dozen murder
cases. A deputy to Basra, he was a key planner of various sectarianbased
terrorist attacks in Karachi and was believed to have trained
many potential suicide bombers. Despite those setbacks, however,
the group appeared to retain a substantial capacity to strike, and
continued to provide logistical support and personnel to al-Qaeda
and Taliban operating from their bases in Pakistan’s tribal region. The
death of senior LeJ leaders did not bring any respite to the violence.
A new breed of well-trained and battle-hardened militants took over
the charge.
The increasing use of suicide bombing in terror attacks gave a
new and more dangerous dimension to the sectarian war. Both Shias