Pakistan forces blow holes in mosque's walls

Pakistan cleric offers mosque surrender terms
Fears mount that women, children being used as human shields in standoff

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - A Pakistani cleric holed up in a mosque in Islamabad said on Thursday he and his student followers were willing to surrender, raising hopes of an end to a confrontation in which 19 people have died.

Abdul Rashid Ghazi was speaking in a telephone interview broadcast on Geo Television as security forces surrounded the Red Mosque. The cleric, whose elder brother was arrested on Wednesday night trying to escape wearing a woman’s all-enveloping burqa, said his followers should be let go if authorities could not prove they belonged to any banned militant groups, or were not wanted for any crime.

“If they are linked to any banned organization, it can be verified,” he said, adding there had been a smear campaign to make people believe that militant groups were among the students. “It can be looked into ... those who are not should be let go.”

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