Al-Qaeda blamed for church attack

The coffin of one of the US victims of Sunday's attack

By Zaffar Abbas BBC correspondent in Islamabad

The Pakistan Government has said there is a strong possibility that Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda movement or its supporters in local extremist Islamic groups may have been involved in Sunday's attack on a church in Islamabad.

Five people were killed in the attack on the church and more than 30 people have died in incidents of sectarian killings in the past few weeks.

Information Minister Nisar Memon said President Pervez Musharraf informed the cabinet on Wednesday that the country's intelligence network is being revamped.

Special anti-terrorist units are being set up to capture those involved in the latest wave of violence.

This is the first time Pakistan has directly linked the al-Qaeda movement with incidents of violence taking place in the country.

Reaction

Mr Memon said the government believes the attack on a church on Sunday and incidents of sectarian violence in other parts of the country are the reaction of groups that are opposed to President Musharraf's policy to join the international coalition in the war against terrorism.

Musharraf has blamed senior police for poor security

He said either the al-Qaeda movement or Islamic extremist groups supporting the network are trying to destabilise the government.

But he said President Musharraf was determined to continue with this policy against terrorism and religious extremism.

During the cabinet meeting General Musharraf announced the setting up of specialist anti-terrorist units in all law enforcement agencies.

He also ordered a revamp of the country's intelligence network.

Mr Memon said Pakistan plans to get help from the United States and some other western countries to improve its intelligence gathering system.

These are extraordinary times for Pakistan, Mr Memon said, and President Musharraf has decided to take up the challenge to restore the country's image as a moderate Islamic estate.