23 August 2004	Monday	06 Rajab 1425

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KARACHI, Aug 22: Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat has alleged that Javed Ibrahim Paracha, a former member of the National Assembly belonging of the Pakistan Muslim League (N), was the main planner of the foiled plot to blow up some key buildings in Islamabad on the night between August 13 and 14.

In an interview with a private TV channel on Sunday, the minister said that security agencies had arrested a number of terrorists after a five-day operation and saved the country from what could have been a major catastrophe.

He told the interviewer that no clues had yet been found to the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden and Ayman Al Zawahiri. It may be mentioned that Information Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmed had on Saturday announced that law-enforcement agencies had arrested five members of terrorist group who had planned to attack the Presidency, the Prime Minister House, the GHQ, the US Embassy, Chief of the Army Staff House, Convention Centre and Lal Haveli.

In his TV interview, the Interior Minister did not say what action did the government plan to take against Mr Paracha. Our Kohat correspondent adds: Mr Paracha on Sunday categorically rejected allegation levelled against him by the interior minister.

Talking to Dawn, he termed the accusations concocted, baseless and politically-motivated. He accused the minister and the government of taking what he termed punitive action against him because he had got some foreign detainees released from jails through courts and sent them to their native countries.

He said that if the interior minister was so confident about his involvement in terrorists activities why was the government hesitating to arrest him. He accused the minister of tarnishing the government's image.

"I refute allegations levelled by the interior minister. I advise him to resign in the better interests of the country. I have also discussed the matter with my lawyer in Peshawar to sue the minister."

Referring to the allegation against the Jamaat-i-Islami of protecting terrorists, Mr Paracha said that the minister was trying to book a ministerial slot in the next cabinet.

He said that he had no regrets about helping the Arab fighters who had come to him for medical help after the US bombardment on the Tora Bora cave complex and other areas in Afghanistan. "Yes.

I have been helping the stranded Arab people who were innocent but, at the same time, I am against terrorism. I have no links with terrorists operating in the country and just providing help to foreigners who fought for Pakistan during the Afghan jihad but who have now been left in the lurch by the US and Pakistan.

Honestly speaking, the government ... was helpless to do anything in this regard. It has become their habit to hold Al Qaeda and religious parties responsible for everything".

He said: "I have nothing to hide and am loyal to the state as anyone else but I will continue to fulfil my religious obligations come what may." Mr Paracha said that he had not been contacted by any law-enforcement or intelligence agency.

He remained in the city on Sunday along with his police guards. The guards were provided to him by the provincial home department following two attempts on his life, first when he was in JUI-F and then when he was PML-N MNA.

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