Gunmen Ambush Cricketers in Pakistan

[unhappycamper]

Gunmen Ambush Cricketers in Pakistan
March 03, 2009
Associated Press

LAHORE, Pakistan - At least a dozen men ambushed Sri Lanka's cricket team with rifles, grenades and rocket launchers Tuesday, converging on the squad's convoy as it drove through a traffic circle near an eastern Pakistani stadium.

Seven players, an umpire and a coach were wounded, none with life-threatening injuries, but six policemen and a driver died.

The attackers struck as a convoy carrying the squad and match officials reached a traffic circle 300 yards from the main sports stadium in the eastern city of Lahore, triggering a 15-minute gunbattle with police guarding the vehicles.

The assault, just ahead of a match, was one of the worst terrorist attacks on a sports team since Palestinian militants killed 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

By attacking South Asia's most popular sport, the gunmen guaranteed themselves tremendous international attention while demonstrating Pakistan's struggle to provide its 170 million people with basic security as it battles a raging Islamist militancy.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/March-2009/gunmen-ambush-cricketers-in-pakistan.html?col=1186032310810