Those arrested are suspected of "aiding and abetting". For the Minister of Interior investigations are continuing "in the right direction." Intelligence sources: new attacks in the planning. Thousands of people have paid tribute to the 148 victims of the massacre at the military school, of whom 132 were children.

Islamabad (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Pakistani police have made a series of arrests of people suspected of involvement in one way or the other, in the massacre carried out last week by the Taliban in the military school in Peshawar, which killed 148 people, of which 132 were children. The Interior Minister, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, said that the men arrested are under investigation for "aiding and abetting" in the attack and investigations are continuing "in the right direction"; he added that intelligence sources have reportedly uncovered another attack in advanced stages of planning.

The massacre of the military school in Peshawar was forcefully condemned by the whole society and by leaders of the Catholic Church of Pakistan, and with especially strong words from the Bishop of Islamabad and from the Archbishop of Karachi. It has been claimed, right from the start, by leaders of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The commando was composed of seven men, all of whom died in the attack.

"We are receiving intelligence - Minister Khan  said - from across the country that the militants are getting ready for another savage and inhuman counter-attack." He explained that he could not add further details on apprehended persons or on their identity.

In these days thousands of citizens have visited the school that was theater to the tragedy, to express condolences to the victims and solidarity with their families.

The Taliban said the attack was to revenge for a Pakistani army operation against them in the north-west, along the Afghan border, which is an historical stronghold of Islamist militants; an operation which caused the deaths of at least 1,200 militiamen.

In the aftermath of the massacre, described by some as "September 11, Pakistan", the government canceled the moratorium on the death penalty and over the weekend has executed six men. Four of them were convicted for attempting to assassinate the then-President Pervez Musharraf in 2003. The Taliban have already announced new attacks in response to the hangings.

 

 

• pakistan
• school
• massacre
• taliban
• extremism