LAHORE: Indians and Afghans are in involved in recent terror attacks at different important places in different cities, said Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Muhammad Aslam Tareen on Friday.
He was addressing a press conference at Police Lines Qila Gujjar Singh on the arrest of five alleged terrorists for involvement in the attack at the 15/ISI office on May 27, 2009. The attack claimed the lives of 10 civilians and 19 Federal Investigation Agency office bearers.
Detailing the operation Tareen said that Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) headed by CIA’s Anti Terrorist Staff Deputy Superintendent Tariq Ilyas Kayyani received a tip from a local resident of Ravi Park Shahdara on the hideout of the terrorists.
Tareen said a police team immediately raided the place and arrested five terror suspects namely Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shabbir Ahmed alias Hafiz Sahib, Umer Hayyat alias Qari Ismail, Hafiz Mehmood alias Abu Qasim and Abid Akram alias Malik Taufan.
The raiding team also recovered 4 explosive jackets, 8 mortar bombs, 13 fuse mortar bombs, one hand grenade, 32 hand grenade pins, one pistol, one SMG Rifle, one roll of detonator cards, 13 fake number plates and dozens of bullets from the possession of the arrested terror suspects. CCPO said that during preliminary interrogations, CIA officials came to know that the arrested suspects belonged to the Al-Tauheed Wal-Jihad Group of the Tehreek-e-Taliban.
The aforementioned group was earlier lead by Dr Umer Kundi. Tareen said that the arrested accused were had been trained at Data Khalil Waziristan and were highly skilled. Tareen said that arrested terrorists have confessed to carrying out the attack at the 15/ISI offices. According to the CCPO the suspects have also confessed to their involvement in different heinous crimes including kidnapping for ransom, robbery, dacoities, dacoity-cum-murders, vehicle lifting and several incidents of snatching.
While giving details of 15/ISI attacks, Mr. Tareen said that the arrested suspects revealed that the plan to bomb the 15/ISI offices was hatched by Umer Kundi. Umer Kundi had ordered Abid Akram alias Malik Taufan to spy on the offices. Abid Akram had also collected funds to carry out the aforementioned attack. On May 29, 2009, Umer Kundi handed over the van used in the attack to Yahya, Ali and Adrees, who reached the target from Fatima Jinnah Road.
Three others reached the spot including Imtiaz, Sarfaraz and Shabir on their own and provided cover to the van by firing indiscriminately and escaped with Abid Akram from the scene. The CCPO claimed the terrorists had held their meetings at Allied Hospital Faisalabad before conducting the attack.
CCPO Muhammad Aslam Tareen told media that the suspects had revealed links in other terror networks and more arrests should be expected in the coming days. Responding to a query Muhammad Aslam Tareen said police were close to arresting terrorists involved in the Data Darbar and Karbala Gamey Shah terrorist attacks. He said police had found clues about foreign involvement in the terror wave.
Tareen continued to say he held India and Afghanistan responsible for the recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan.
5 suspected terrorists arrested – CCPO shifts terror blame on Indians, Afghans
