Ambush fails to free Islamic extremists

Gunmen ambushed a police bus carrying Islamic extremist prisoners from a Karachi court today in a bid to free them.

One policeman and a prisoner were killed and eight other people wounded, while the gunmen fled. None of the 20 prisoners in the bus escaped.

Witnesses said four gunmen ambushed the vehicle in the congested Bhorapir neighbourhood of the restive Pakistan port city about half a mile from a court where the prisoners had appeared for a hearing.

Aman Ullah, a senior police official, said the gunmen had been trying to free the prisoners but fled after more police units arrived on the scene.

Police said the prisoners were from three outlawed Islamic groups including the Army of Mohammed believed involved in the murder of American reporter Daniel Pearl.

All the prisoners had been arrested in President Pervez Musharraf’s crackdown on Islamic extremists in January.