Incident Summary:
10/20/2009: On Tuesday, two suicide bombers wearing off-white and light brown Shalwar Kameez, attacked the International Islamic University Islamabad in the H-10 sector of Islamabad, Pakistan. The first blast occurred at 15:07 in the cafeteria of the women's campus. Five minutes later, the second blast occurred on the first floor at the building of Shariah and Law Department. Each suicide belt bomb consisted of 4-5 kilograms of explosive material, 1 1/2-2 kilograms of pellets and C-4. The main structure of the building, door and windows shattered and dozens of cars near the blast site were damaged. The attacked killed eight people and wounded 33 others; among the dead are students: Sidra Khalid, Hina, Khalil-ur-Rehman, sanitary worker Pervaiz Masih, security guard Shaukat Bhatti, and worker Amna. Police responded to investigate the scene. Suspect 'GM' was arrested after the attack in the cafeteria while he was capturing the scene with a movie camera that was hidden in his green Chadar. The suspect belongs to Khanewal and was a previous student to the campus. Private educational institutions and federal government educational institutions run by Pakistan Army were closed for a week. No one has claimed responsibility for the bombings.
Overview
GTD ID:
200910200012
When:
2009-10-20
Country:
Pakistan
Region:
South Asia
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Islamabad Capital Territory
City:
Islamabad
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Educational Institution |
Name of Entity |
The International Islamic University Islamabad. |
Specific Description |
The first floor at the building of Shariah and Law Department at the International Islamic University Islamabad |
Nationality of Target |
Pakistan |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Minor (likely < $1 million) |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Explosives |
Suicide (carried bodily by human being) |
Weapon Details |
Two suicide improvised explosive devices were used in the attack. |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | Yes |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
Six civilians were killed, including: students, Sidra Khalid, Hina, Khalil-ur-Rehman, sanitary worker Pervaiz Masih, security guard Shaukat Bhatti, and worker Amna. |
Who
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name |
Claimed Responsibility |
Unknown |
No |
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
8 Fatalities / 33 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
8 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
2 |
Total Number of Injured |
33 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
Agence France Presse, "Pakistan Double Suicide Attack Kills up to Seven," World News Connection, Agence France Presse, October 20, 2009. |
The International News, "Six People Killed in 2 Suicide Attacks at Islamic University Islamabad," Worldwide Incidents Tracking System, The International News, October 21, 2009. |
National Counterterrorism Center, "Four Civilians, Three Students, One Private Security Guard Killed, Thirty-Three Civilians and Students Injured in Suicide IED Attacks in Islamabad, Pakistan ," Worldwide Incidents Tracking System, April 12, 2010. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties