GUNMEN ATTACKED 2 MOSQUES OF MINORITY SECT IN PAKISTAN, KILL 80

Many Islamist militants in Pakistan believe it is permissible or honorable to kill non-Muslims, or even those Muslims who do not share their views.

LAHORE, Pakistan–An official says suicide bombers and gunmen have killed more than 70 people at two mosques of a minority sect in eastern Pakistan.
Lahore deputy commissioner Sajjad Bhutta also said more than 80 people were wounded in Friday's attacks.

The attacks by suspected Islamist militants in Lahore city targeted the Ahmadi sect, which has experienced years of state-sanctioned discrimination and occasional attacks by radical Sunnis. It has never before been hit on such a large scale or coordinated fashion.

• One of the attackers climbed atop the minaret of one of the mosques, firing an assault rifle and throwing hand grenades, TV footage showed. Outside, police were engaged in a fierce gunfight with the attackers, an Associated Press reporter at the scene said.
• Police officer Imtiaz Ahmad said several attackers were inside and were suspected to be holding hostages.
• Outside the other mosque several kilometers (miles) away, a witness complained of police inaction when the attackers struck.
• "I asked the policeman to open fire. He told me he could not because he only had four bullets in his gun," said Ghalib Hussain.
• Dr Rizan Nasir said 20 people had been killed in one mosque. Figures were not available for the other.
• Pakistan has seen scores of attacks by groups of Islamist militants against government, Western and security force targets over the past three years. Lahore, the second largest city in the country and a vital a military and political center, has been the scene of several.

Source: AP