Islamist militants in Pakistan vow to avenge Lal Masjid deaths

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has beefed up security, particularly in the restive northern region along the border with Afghanistan, after Islamist militants threatened to carry out retaliatory attacks in response to the military operations against the radical Lal Masjid here.

Pamphlets purportedly distributed by the militant Mujahideen-i-Bajaur in villages and towns of the Bajaur agency in the restive northern tribal areas bordering Afghanistan warned of attacking paramilitary forces and public places across the country.

"Mujahideen strongly denounce operation and killing of students in Lal Masjid and they will take revenge by carrying out suicide attacks," the pamphlet said.

Suspected militants threatened to carry out suicide attacks across the country in revenge for the killing of students and occupants of the radical mosque and its associated madrassas in central Islamabad.

Consequently, the political authorities have tightened security and increased the number of paramilitary forces at checkposts in the agency. Security has also been beefed up along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the Dawn daily said.

The bloody stand-off between security forces and the militants entered the fourth day today with over 1,400 students and militants having surrendered to the authorities.

Loud explosions and gunfire rocked the Lal Masjid here on Friday as the government rejected conditional surrender put forward by radical cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi holed up inside the besieged mosque.