QUETTA, Sept 5: The police have busted a 12-member gang of terrorists involved in sectarian attack on an Imambargah on July 4 and killing of trainee police recruits, four Hindus and some other people in the provincial capital.

The inspector-general of police, Balochistan, said at a press conference on Friday that the 12 men who had prepared the plan of sectarian killings in Mastung had been identified.

He said one of the alleged terrorists, Daud Badini, was the brother-in-law of an Al Qaeda activist, Ramzi Yousuf. “Daud Badini and Usman Saifullah are the masterminds of Quetta’s tragic incidents and they have not been arrested so far,” he said and added that three of the terrorists were killed on July 4 during the attack on the Imambargah.

He said seven members of the gang were in police custody.

“They belong to the defunct Lashkar-i-Jhangvi,” he said.

He said the accused had disclosed during interrogation that their three accomplices who were killed in the shootout at the Imambargah had visited Afghanistan many times and had contacts with some foreigners.

Replying to a question, the IG said the accused had obtained training of terrorism in Afghanistan and it was yet to be ascertained if they had links with Indian and Afghan secret agencies. “We are trying to know who used them for terrorist activities,” he said.

He said police teams had interrogated over 100 suspects belonging to different defunct religious groups in connection with the sectarian attacks of whom about 90 were released.

He said the gang comprised Shamim Ahmed, Mohammad Jan, Mohammad Qasim, Abdul Waheed, Ziaul Haq, Maulvi Abdul Zahir, Riaz; Noor Ahmed, Mohammad Khan and Abdul Shakoor, who were killed in the attack; and the masterminds, Usman Saifullah alias Mohammad Gul and Daud Badini alias Ghulam Haider.

He said Shamim Ahmed, Mohammad Qasim, Abdul Waheed and Mohammad Jan had been arrested in Mastung while efforts were being made to apprehend others.

He said the accused had disclosed that they planned the attack in a house at Dringarh, where they made a video film showing Abdul Shakoor reading a statement describing their grievances against the government and a sect and expressing determination to sacrifice their lives for their cause. The banned group’s literature and record of past terrorist incidents was recovered from the hideout, he said.

They revealed that Mohammed Qasim and Noor Ahmed were involved in the attack on police recruits on Sariab Road on June 8, he said.

He said steps had been taken to check such acts in future.

City Nazim Mohammad Rahim Kakar, on the occasion, announced reward for the members of the investigating team.