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Teams formed to probe Sherpao attack:

Russian explosives used at Charsadda

* Electronic jammers could have prevented blast

By Iqbal Khattak and Manzoor Ali Shah

CHARSADDA: Russian-made explosives were used in Saturday’s suicide attack targeting Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao Khan, a police official said, as investigators launched a formal probe into the bombing.

“All the federal government agencies will assist the team,” said Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani at a news conference in Peshawar after returning from the funerals of nine victims of the blast in Charsadda. He said that the bomber used eight to 10 kilograms of explosives and the death toll from the attack has risen to 28.

NWFP Additional Inspector General (Investigation) Fayaz Toru, who heads the joint investigation team, told Daily Times that the explosives used in the attack were known as ‘MUV2’ and were of Russian origin. Sherpao sustained minor injuries on both his legs from shrapnel in the attack.

Toru told Reuters that the bomber appeared to be in his 30s. “He is either an Afghan or belongs to our tribal areas,” he said. “The pattern of attack was similar to previous ones, all of which had links in our tribal areas.”

Forensics experts sealed the crime scene and were collecting evidence. “Evidence from the scene of the crime is essential and helpful in any investigation ... we have sealed off the area to keep all evidence intact,” a forensics expert said.

Police sources said body parts of the suspected bomber had been sent to Islamabad for forensic tests.

Daily Times has learnt that the interior minister was not protected by electronic jamming equipment of the kinds provided to other VIPs in the Frontier province. AIG Toru said the equipment could have stopped the bomb.

A police explosives expert said the death toll would not have been so high had people not been standing when the explosion took place, as ball bearings and other shrapnel used in such explosives usually flies upwards.

Agencies add: Authorities were preparing a sketch of the suspect to help identify him, Reuters reported.

Charsada police chief Firoz Shah told AFP that the investigators have found two Russian-made detonators and parts of the jacket the suicide attacker was wearing, he said.

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