August 28, 2008	Thursday	Sha'aban 25, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Aug 27: Investigators are probing antecedents of the persons killed and injured in the bomb explosion in the Jehan Model Town on Sihala Tuesday night, sources told Dawn.

The death toll of the explosion rose to six as two more injured died in the hospitals. The deceased were identified as Akhtar Nawaz, Hafizur Rehman, Shahnawaz, Allah Ditta, Kamran Hanif and Asif Ali.

The sources said the persons killed and injured in the explosion were under observation and their whereabouts and history were being investigated.

The investigators have also included the owner and workers of the hotel, who belong to Cherat area near Peshawar, in investigations.

The investigators suspected that there was a possibility that the person(s) who carried the explosive might be among the injured or dead persons, the sources added.

Preliminary investigation suggested that the explosive went off prematurely when it was being transported. There is a possibility that the carrier(s) of the explosive might have stop at the hotel to take meal or for some other reason, where it went off due to some reaction.

The reaction could have occurred due to the heat of the stove, cigarette, matchstick or radiation of mobile phones might have charged the explosive, the sources said.

There is a strong possibility that the carrier(s) of the explosive was sitting near it when it went off and was killed or injured, they said.

It is premature to ascertain the target or destination of the ‘terrorists’, but it is believed that they were preparing an attack on a sensitive installation.

The sources said the suspects might be taking the explosive to the Police Academy to target it in revenge of Lal Masjid operation. The academy is located about a kilometre from Tuesday’s blast site where the bodies of those killed in the Lal Masjid operation were washed.

The incident occurred at Khyber Hotel near Yamaha Factory, located at Model Town, Sihala, where scores of people were busy taking meal.