THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2003
Hi-tech device saved Musharraf's life
AP
ISLAMABAD : Hi-tech jamming devices in the limousine of the Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf helped him avoid a weekend assassination attempt, delaying by a few crucial seconds the detonation of a powerful bomb that targeted his motorcade, intelligence officials said on Wednesday.
As investigators continued their probe into the attack, the Government vowed to root out extremism, amid suspicions that al-Qaida or homegrown Islamic militants opposed to Pakistan 's support of the US-led war on terrorism were behind the bombing. President Gen. Pervez Musharraf was travelling in a limousine through the city of Rawalpindi when the blast happened on Sunday evening, ripping through a concrete bridge just after he passed over it.
It was at least the second attempt on the life of the military leader since he took power in a bloodless coup four years ago. The sophisticated bomb, initially estimated to contain 250 kilograms (550 pounds) of explosive, was believed to include both a remote control and a timing device to trigger it, two intelligence officials said.
Jamming equipment in Musharraf's car stopped the timer for about a minute and also jammed the remote control, the officials said. "It was enough time for Musharraf to cross the bridge," one of the officials said on condition of anonymity.
The jammers work by emitting a magnetic impulse to block frequencies used to trigger explosive devices, including the electronic signals from precision timers. Defense analyst Talat Masood said that security agencies worldwide use such equipment for the security of dignitaries and it had been imported to Pakistan . Musharraf has said he heard and felt the blast between 30 seconds and a minute after he passed the bridge. There were no injuries as the bridge was blocked to traffic to let his motorcade pass. On Tuesday, the President made a 20-minute visit to the wrecked bridge, about 15 kilometres from the capital Islamabad , officials said.
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