Wagah tragedy: Forensic report points to another bomber

Chemical samples of both vests match

LAHORE: A forensic report has confirmed the existence of another suicide bomber near the Wagah border on November 2, the day a suicide bomber detonated himself and killed over 60 people.

The report shows that the jacket used in the Wagah border blast was identical to the second one found near the site a day after the tragedy, The Express Tribune has learnt.

The bomber struck just as people were leaving the parade ground where a ritual flag-lowering ceremony was held on November 2.

The final fatality count in the blast ran as high as 63 people dead. On November 3, the day after the blast, investigators found a suicide jacket some 500 metres from the parade ground.

It was suspected that there was also a second terrorist, who failed to detonate his suicide vest. Chemical samples from the jacket and the chemical used in the blast were collected and sent to Punjab Forensic Science Agency for analysis.

According to the report received by the police and forwarded to the Joint Investigation Team, a nitrate-based chemical was used in both the jackets.

According to police sources, some four kilogrammes of explosives was used in the suicide jacket whereas the total weight of the jacket was 10 kilogrammes.

They said that there may have been another suicide bomber in the area who could have used the second jacket as well, but could not or did not for some reason.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2014.