US News : UN Condemns Terrorist Attack in Pakistan

UN Condemns Terrorist Attack in Pakistan

By EDITH M. LEDERER | Associated Press Writer | October 22, 2007

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The U.N. Security Council on Monday strongly condemned last week's suicide attack on Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto's homecoming procession as a "heinous act of terrorism" and urged all countries to cooperate in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

The Thursday bombing of Bhutto's cavalcade in Karachi, hours after she returned from eight years in exile, killed 136 people, wounded hundreds more and raised the question of whether large campaign rallies would be allowed ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections.

"The Security Council condemns in the strongest terms the bomb attacks ... and expresses its deep sympathy and condolences to the victims of this heinous act of terrorism and their families, and to the people and government of Pakistan," the statement said.

The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Zalmay Khalilzad, said Bhutto's return "is very much welcome to Pakistan."

"Pakistan is an important country, a key country in the battle against extremism which uses terror as a tactic, and the United States is committed to working with Pakistanis in the struggle against extremism and their terrorist tactics that they use," he said.

© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.