Pak police kills foreign bombers, foils major terror attack

Karachi, May 17 (PTI) Five suspected Chechen suicide
bombers -- three of them women -- were killed in a gun battle
after policemen in Pakistan's Quetta city intercepted their
vehicle at a checkpost, foiling a major terror attack.
The foreign bombers -- one of them as young as 20 --
were equipped with suicide vests and one of them blew herself
up after being cornered in a firefight, police said.
The city police chief told the media that the five
people riding in a car had explosive devices strapped around
their waists and were apparently out to launch a terror attack
in the Balochistan capital.
"They were first ordered to stop for a snap check near
the airport but raced away and were than intercepted at the
Frontier Constabulary checkpost in Kharotabad," he said.
The police official said when asked to get out of the
car the suspected bombers started a gun battle with security
personal and on being corned one of the female bomber's blew
herself up.
"One of the suicide bombers is a 25 to 27 year old
woman while another one is a young girl of around 20-years,"
he said.
"We are investigating but so far it appears from
documents found on them all five belonged to Chechnya," he
said.
He said the security forces had suffered no casualties
and only one policeman was wounded and taken to hospital for
treatment.
"We are trying to find what their intentions and
target were but apparently they were out to commit a terrorist
attack in the city," he said.
The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban and al Qaeda have vowed
to seek revenge and step up suicide attacks in Pakistan after
the US Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden in a late night raid
at his hideout in Abbotabad on May 2.
A Saudi Consulate diplomat was yesterday shot dead by
persons on two motorcycles in Karachi but the TTP later
claimed it had nothing to do with the attack.
Police are still investigating whether the shooting of
the Saudi diplomat, Hassan Khatani, who was also a security
officer of the Saudi consulate in Karachi is related to bin
Laden's death.
The body of the diplomat was flown to Jeddah today.