The recent deadly suicide attacks against crowds in Karachi welcoming back former Pakistani PM Benazir Bhutto are a stark reminder that large gatherings of people are particularly vulnerable to suicide attacks. In some countries political gatherings are obvious targets, and the Karachi attack reminds us of the 1991 assassination of former Indian PM Rajiv Ghandi by a Tamil Tigers suicide attacker.Irrespective of whether a particular political gathering represents “history in the making” such gatherings should be avoided in countries where suicide bombing is a reality, as these events are impossible to secure against this type of attack. In this context, European countries such as the UK, France and Germany cannot be excluded.
Almost overshadowed by this attack was the bombing of a shopping mall in Manila on 19 October, which killed 8 and wounded 70. This and the recent Indian cinema bombing remind us of more public assembly targets to which terrorists are drawn.
