September 23, 2008	Tuesday	Ramazan 22, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Sept 22: A group calling itself Fedayeen-i-Islam claimed on Monday responsibility for the deadly suicide attack on the Marriott hotel.

According to TV channels, a spokesman for the group told Al Arabiya TV in Islamabad on phone about its involvement in Saturday’s bomb blast.

It could not be ascertained if the group had any link with Al Qaeda or Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.

The interior ministry made no comment on the Fedayeen’s claim. However, a senior government official told Dawn that intelligence departments were investigating the call received by Al Arabiya.

“We have not heard the name of the organisation but we are trying to locate its network,” he said.

Responding to a question, he said it had been confirmed that the call was made from within the country, but not from Islamabad.

He said the investigators had questioned several truck drivers and showed them the video of the dumper truck that hit the steel barrier of the hotel to recognise the vehicle and its driver.