Anatomy of
the October 19 Blasts
By Adnan Gill
Los Angeles, CA
The way the Pakistan government covers up every
single bomb attack by declaring that it was an
action of a suicide bomber has become a regular
theme. Mostly people buy the government’s
version with little or no questions asked. Fortunately
for us, and unfortunately for the establishment,
the October 19 twin-bombing attacks (allegedly)
on Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Benazir
Bhutto were captured by numerous private TV cameras
and by the print-media photographers. Most of
these videos and still-photographs which are available
on the Internet for the public to view potentially
suggest a cover-up going up to the highest levels.
If one were to study these videos (widely available
on YouTube), and the still-photographs (available
among others on AP, AFP, Reuters, and the Daily
Dawn's websites) one can argue that the nation
has been once again misguided by the establishment,
because the pictures tell a story totally contradictory
to what the latter wants us to believe. The contradictions
are so shockingly obvious that it suggests that
either the establishment likes to mock our intelligence,
or its agents tasked to disseminate its story
of suicide-bombers are highly incompetent; because
even a 10th grade student with basic knowledge
of laws of physics can put together the sequence
of events that took place on October 19.
The motives behind the establishment’s possible
cover up are a subject of another debate, so for
now, first we will lay down some facts, circumstantial
evidence, and ground rules to evaluate the evidence.
Rule # 1, laws of physics do not bend, twist,
or change to anyone's liking, or for that matter,
disliking.
Rule # 2, for the purpose of this column we will
assume that the face of Ms. Bhutto’s armored
truck was pointing to 12 o'clock, while its tail
was pointing at 6 o'clock.
Rule # 3, fashioning an explosive device is more
of a science than art.
Circumstantial evidence # 1, per PPP's statement
Ms. Bhutto retreated to her heavily armored cabin
just minutes before the bombs exploded.
Circumstantial evidence # 2, every PPP leader
standing on the top of the armored truck escaped
the blasts virtually unscathed.
Circumstantial evidence # 3, numerous TV cameras
and still photographs captured the images of the
bombings and their aftermath live.
Circumstantial evidence # 4, government’s
experts claimed the second (and the deadlier)
bomb used approximately 14-15 kg of RDX explosives
and hundreds of nails and ball bearings.
Fact # 1, RDX explosives are one of the most powerful
and stable explosives. The velocity of RDX detonation
at a density of 1.76 grams/cm³ is 8,750 meters
per second.
Fact # 2, the shock wave from the blast travels
like a bobble and in a circular manner.
Fact # 3, the dispersal-pattern/direction of the
shrapnel resulting from the blast can be managed
and fashioned according to the need.
AAJ-TV was broadcasting live when the two blasts
took place. Judging from the video images AAJ-TV
cameras caught, one can safely assume that the
first blast was of a restively low-intensity,
and the second blast was of much higher intensity.
It should also be kept in mind that the initial
blast did not trigger the (what demolition experts
call) sympathetic blast or the second explosion.
That is most probably due to the stable nature
of RDX explosives.
The other evidence one can safely gather from
this video are:
1. Virtually everyone and everything stayed upright
and intact on the right and backsides of the armored
truck. This suggests the second explosive was
a shaped-charge from which the shrapnel spread
in an arc-pattern, and away from the truck. In
other words, either by sheer luck or deliberately
the trajectory of the blast was directed away
from the truck in a cone-shape that spread from
seven o'clock to one o'clock (relative to the
truck).
2. People can be seen jumping off the armored
truck and others climbing down the stairs after
the blasts. This suggests that none of the people
standing on top of the truck was seriously injured,
which suggests that the shrapnel and the force/shockwave
of the blast stayed closer to the ground. Typically,
a well-directed shockwave generated by 14-15 kg
of RDX from such a close proximity can turn the
internal organs into gel. Another sign, it was
probably a shaped-charge.
3. Before the second blast the left door of the
truck could be seen in an open position. Some
unconfirmed reports claimed that just minutes
before the blasts the truck was stopped to switch
the drivers. Either way, it can be argued that
the driver vacated the truck before the second
blast. Which could mean, that the standard operating-procedure
of immediately escaping the scene was not followed.
4. A vehicle can be observed to the front-left
side (9-10 o'clock) of the truck and exactly in
the front of a white Suzuki Alto engulfed in flames.
Some reports alleged that the Suzuki Alto carried
the bomb, but a spare wheel could be seen on the
backside of the burning vehicle. Therefore it
can be argued, that the burning vehicle was a
Jeep rather than a small car. When this vehicle
is observed from the other angles in the still
pictures it shows its front was ripped open. Could
this be the vehicle that carried the bomb? We
will return to this question in a moment.
When asked, how the government could be so sure
that it was an act of a suicide-bomber wearing
a suicide belt, they immediately give a ready-made
answer that since no crater/hole was found, it
had to be a suicide bomber. It's difficult to
tell if they give this ready-made answer out of
ignorance or in an effort to cover up the reality.
Because a cleverly designed shaped-charge/explosive
can easily leave no crater, which means such a
signature could also be left out by other kinds
of improvised explosives, like by a car-bomb.
If one would meticulously study the widely available
still-pictures of the blasts, one could figure
out the origination-point of the blast and the
direction the shrapnel and debris traveled, which
belies government’s version. Since the shockwave
from an ordinary explosion travels in a circle,
it knocks down objects around it like petals of
a flower. If the blast was caused by a suicide-bomber
then how did he/she managed to control the direction
of the explosion and that too into the opposite
direction of its alleged target? Another lucky
coincidence or there is something more than meets
the eye?
The pictures also show that the majority of victims
lost their lower limbs and the clothing on their
legs was either singed or torn apart by the blasts,
while their torsos and shirts on them were relatively
in better condition. Even the small trees and
plants around the center of explosion told a story
that the brunt of the shockwave traveled closer
to the ground and not in a bubble shape. This
is another telltale sign of a controlled explosion,
which was directed away and closer to the ground.
Could it be another fortuitous coincidence for
the alleged primary-target?
Some people could be seen as far as (roughly)
hundred feet from the center of the blast lying
in a pool of blood. Strangely, the armored truck
which was barely 10 feet away from the center
of the explosion only sustained minor damage like
flattened tires and few shrapnel penetrations
in its windshield. A police van on the front-left
side of the armored truck can be seen severely
damaged. However, no evidence of even minor damage
could be seen above the driver’s cab of
the armored truck. This could be another sign
that the explosion was caused by the shaped explosive
whose trajectory was not pointed upwards where
the PPP leadership was standing. Yet another fortunate
coincidence?
Based on debris tracks, never mind from where
one draws a line, they all triangulate to a point
roughly where the vehicle on fire could be seen.
From a front angle one can see the face of the
mysterious burning vehicle spread open. Based
on all of these educated and conservative observations,
one could argue that either the government investigators
are not quantified to conduct such investigations,
or the establishment is hiding something and deliberately
fooling the nation into thinking it was another
merciless, cruel and deliberate action of suicide
bombers. Because the circumstantial evidence suggests
that the origin of the second blast, which was
in all likelihood a shaped-charge, took place
on the front-left side of the armored truck that
Ms. Bhutto was traveling in, and most importantly,
it was directed away from her heavily-guarded
and heavily-plated truck.
At this point it is hard to speculate about the
motives and the forces behind the gruesome tragedy,
but one can argue with a high degree of certainty,
that the second blast was caused by a shaped-charge
that was directed closer to the ground and away
from the armored truck that was used by the high
and the mighty of PPP. It also cannot be disputed
that while virtually all of the PPP leadership
came out of these deadly attacks literally unharmed,
hundreds of loyal foot soldiers/jialas of the
party miserably failed to escape the cold hands
of death. It is said that due to this tragedy
hundreds of jialas will remain maimed and handicapped
for the rest of their lives, hardly a matter of
conciliation.
It is hard to believe that nature could be so
compassionate and heartless at the same time.
On the one hand it spares the lives and well-being
of every single member of the PPP leadership and
on the other it blew up hundreds of its workers
to smithereens. A one in a billion coincidence?
You decide!
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