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Sheffield grief after suicide bomb killings
A MUSLIM sect in Sheffield has been plunged into grief after 93 people were killed in attacks by extremists on mosques in Pakistan.
Members of a group related to the Taleban are suspected of carrying out the atrocities in the city of Lahore.
Militants wearing suicide bomb vests burst into the Garhi Shahu and Model Town mosques, firing guns, throwing grenades at worshippers, taking hostages and blowing themselves up.
The mosques belong to the Ahmadi sect, which suffers frequent persecution in Pakistan, where the Government has declared that followers of the religion are not proper Muslims.
Ahmadis believe that their 19th century founder, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, was the Promised Messiah appointed by God for the revival of Islam.
Mohsin Rizvi, president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association Sheffield, based in Sussex Street, between the city centre and Attercliffe, said: "Members of the Sheffield community have been directly affected with many losing fathers, brothers and other close relatives and friends.
"The community is still in shock but refuses to be provoked. We are a peaceful community. We have been persecuted for decades but have always responded with non-violence, steadfastness and prayer."
He added: "We expect the Pakistan government to treat this matter seriously and ensure that the terrorists responsible for this outrage are brought to justice.
"Equally we hope that this incident moves the Pakistan government to remove the discriminatory laws that specifically target the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community that extremists use to justify their violent attacks.
"Experience tells us they will accord little protection to us."
Seven members of the terror gang whose vests did not detonate have been arrested by Pakistani police, who said the attack is believed to have been carried out by Tehrik-e-Taleban Pakistan - the Pakistani Taleban movement."
Officers said one suspect revealed they had been trained in the Warziristan tribal region, on the border with Afghanistan.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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