Sketch of church attacker released

Investigators have offered a reward for information Police in Pakistan have released a sketch of a man they suspect of being behind the grenade attack on an Islamabad church which killed five people earlier this month.

The sketch was published in all major newspapers

The sketch was published on Wednesday in all major newspapers in Pakistan, accompanied by the offer of a reward for information which could help investigators.

The sketch shows a clean shaven young man with curly hair. Five people were killed, including two Americans, when attackers threw grenades into a Protestant church in the diplomatic quarter of the capital on 17 March.

No group has said it carried out the attack, which also left more than 40 injured, but suspicion has fallen on hardline Islamic groups opposed to Pakistan's support for the US-led war on terror.

Crackdown

Aside from the two Americans - an administrator at the US Embassy and her daughter - an Afghan and a Pakistani were among those killed in the attack.

Two Americans died in the attack

The fifth body has not been identified but some officials believe it may have been that of one of the assailants. But this was not alluded to in Wednesday's advertisement.

The attack came at a crucial time for Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf who pledged in January to crack down on Islamic extremists operating in Pakistan.

President Musharraf has already removed several senior Islamabad police officials including the Inspector General and the Senior Superintendent of Police over the security lapse at the church.