Pakistan rights group: Christian riots planned

ISLAMABAD — An independent Pakistani human rights commission said Tuesday that rioting that killed eight Christians last week was not spontaneous but planned by the attackers, some of whom belong to an al-Qaida-linked group.

The findings were released the same day Pakistani police began questioning more than 200 people to determine if the attacks were premeditated, said Punjab province Law Minister Rana Sanaullah. Another top official suggested militants fleeing an army offensive in the northwest Swat Valley were also involved.

Hundreds of Muslims attacked a Christian neighborhood in the eastern Pakistani city of Gojra on Saturday after reports that Christians had desecrated a Quran. The assault, in which dozens of homes were also burned, underscored the precarious existence of religious minorities in this Muslim-majority nation where extremist Islam is on the rise.

Sanaullah told The Associated Press that members of the banned Sunni group Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan and its al-Qaida-linked offshoot Lashkar-e-Jhangvi were arrested as suspected attackers.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said its fact-finding team interviewed the families of victims, residents, witnesses and officials. Commission head Asma Jahangir said in a statement that announcements made from mosques the day before called upon Muslims to "make mincemeat of the Christians."

The statement said many of the attackers came from a neighboring district, Jhang — the birthplace and stronghold of the banned militant groups.

"The attackers seemed to be trained for carrying out such activities," she said.

A Pakistani intelligence report some two months earlier suggested militant groups may be switching from suicide attacks to creating sectarian strife in cities, Sanaullah noted.

"We need to locate and arrest those who were wearing masks during the carnage," he said, referring to the attackers who were covering their faces during the rioting to avoid being identified.

The demonstrations began Thursday but reached their violent zenith Saturday, allegedly after hardline clerics began making speeches against the Christians. Authorities say an initial probe had debunked the claims that the Muslim holy book was defiled.

Christians in the community attended special church services for the victims Tuesday.