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