SITREP 02, AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD: "LINE CROSSED" IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 003075 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2018 TAGS: PGOV PK PREL AMGT CACS ASEC PTER PINR SUBJECT: SITREP 02, AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD: "LINE CROSSED" IN MARRIOTT BOMBING REF: ISLAMABAD 3074 Classified By: DCM Jerry Feierstein for reasons 1.4 (b),(d). ¶1. (C) As of September 21, 0030 hours (local time),Pakistani media continues to report 40 persons were killed and more than 250 injured in the Marriott blast. According to Interior Minister Rehman Malik, as much as one thousand kilograms of explosives were used in the initial vehicle-borne blast. The explosion created a crater more than twenty feet deep, according to eyewitnesses, and windows were shattered in buildings hundreds of meters away. Frontier House, where political party leaders often stay, is also reported to have suffered severe structural damage. ¶2. (C) Prime Minister Yousuf Gilani has called for calm, but added "if militants are not defeated in FATA, incidents like 9/11 could occur in Pakistan." Interior Minister Rehman Malik announced security has been raised to "high alert" across the country. Pakistan Army personnel responded to the emergency, assisting with the rescue of individuals trapped in the hotel. ¶3. (C) U.S. official casualties remain one killed and two missing. Sixteen official Americans were treated at Embassy's Health Unit. Three official Americans have been hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. A visiting RAO clinical psychologist has been made available to staff. Embassy confirmed that two AmCits were treated and released for minor injuries and one USAID contract employee remains hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. ¶4. (C) Embassy contacts report one Danish official suffered minor injuries in the blast, and another Danish official remains missing. The Saudi Ambassador announced one Saudi official unaccounted for, and as many as six private Saudi citizens, apparently Saudia aircrew, missing. All official Swedes, Australians, Germans, Dutch, Canadians, Italians, British and Spanish are accounted for, according to Post's direct contact with those missions; four British and one Canadian official were injured; up to six private German citizens were also injured in the blast and are currently receiving medical treatment. ¶5. (C) Embassy remains on lockdown, and will conduct an EAC meeting September 21, at 0900 hours (local time). All personnel from Consulates Karachi, Peshawar and Lahore are accounted for; those posts remain on lockdown and will hold EAC meetings September 21 morning. Embassy released its first Warden Message September 20, at 2100 hours. ¶6. (C) The Commission for the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism, scheduled to arrive in Islamabad early September 21, has canceled its visit. PATTERSON