Surrender or die: Gen

Deputy cleric of Lal Masjid Abdul Rashid Gazi, on the other hand, claimed shots fired at Musharraf8217;s plane on Friday were in revenge for the government siege on the mosque. 8220;I received a telephone call yesterday from a man I did not know who offered congratulations before news of the attack on Musharraf8217;s aircraft became public. He said, 8216;I fired at Musharraf8217;s plane just a while ago8217;,8221; said Gazi.

Gazi also alleged that government forces had killed 70-80 of his students. He, however, insisted that he and his supporters preferred martyrdom to capture.

The government says only 19 people have been killed since Tuesday. There were unconfirmed accounts of the mosque8217;s defenders burying more bodies on Saturday.

Explosions and intense gunfire continued into the fifth day of the siege as thousands of troops ringing the mosque, attempted to end the standoff but held back from an all-out assault. A report said Pakistani security forces had raided and captured the boys8217; madrasa of Lal Masjid Jamia Faridia and taken a large number of students into custody.

A five-member team of Islamist politicians blamed security forces for opening fire, saying this had prevented the team from entering the mosque. The panel of religious conservatives was on a mission to persuade Gazi to send out children.

8220;Whatever happens now, the government will be

responsible,8221; said member of Parliament Samia Raheel Qazi.