Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: Straight Vermonter

Yes, probably a rumor. However, this report is sound ;-)

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,10646764%255E2703,00.html

Sonic boom rattles Pakistanis
From AP
September 02, 2004

ISLAMABAD: A sonic boom that many mistook for an explosion rattled windows and nerves in Pakistan's capital, where tensions were already high in the hours before the government swore in a new cabinet under heavy security.

Pakistanis are on edge after a series of high-profile al-Qaida arrests, assassination attempts and thwarted terror attacks in recent weeks.

Police and emergency officials reported receiving thousands of calls after a loud boom Wednesday that rattled windows across a large swath of Islamabad.

Hundreds of jittery residents left their offices and poured into the streets to see what had happened. The cause of the boom was initially a mystery. The air force at first ruled out a sonic boom. Local media reported rumors it may have been caused by an explosion at a textile factory.

It took nearly six hours for the air force to confirm that the boom and vibrations were caused by one of its jets breaking the sound barrier on a training mission near the capital.





"We did not intend to scare people. The plane was flying over its training area," about 50km south-west of the city, Air Force Cmdr. Sarfaraz Ahmed said.

The boom came about two hours before President Gen. Pervez Musharraf swore in a new 32-member cabinet that will serve under incoming Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

Earlier, authorities had announced the arrest of two terror suspects in the southwest of the country in the past few days, including an Egyptian man the government said it considers an important figure in Osama bin Laden's terror group.

The capital has been under a virtual lockdown for months following a series of suicide attacks and thwarted plots against senior officials and the US Embassy. Pakistan has suffered a series of terrorist attacks, most in the restive southern city of Karachi.


920 posted on 09/01/2004 11:57:42 PM PDT by AdmSmith
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 919 | View Replies ]


To: All
http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=75836
SWA Peace Committee chief, 2 guards gunned down

Wednesday September 01, 2004 (1436 PST)

WANA, September 02 (Online): President South Waziristan Peace Committee Gulsa Khan Mahsud and two of his bodyguards were gunned down when they were ambushed by unknown assailants here Wednesday at the rugged area of Badar.

The Tribal Chief and President of the SWA Peace Committee along with his four bodyguards were heading towards Kanigurram when their vehicle came under intense firing of assailants.

The killed include Gulsa Khan, Mehtar Khan and Sher Dil Mahsud while an injured Khan Mahsud had been shifted to a local hospital for medical treatment in a precarious condition.

The slain peace committee chief Gulsa Khan played an active role to eradicate and flush out anti-social elements from South Waziristan Agency.

In this regard the said president demolished sixty houses of the criminals and bandits in the Agency and had handed over dozens of culprits to the political administration for their alleged involvement in various kinds of crimes.
921 posted on 09/02/2004 12:01:03 AM PDT by AdmSmith
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 920 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson