KARACHI: Mastermind identified in US diplomat murder case
By Tahir Siddiqui
KARACHI, Jan 11: One of the two activists of Al Qaeda being tried for masterminding the suicide car bombing that killed a US diplomat and three others was identified on Thursday by the father of the suicide bomber before an anti-terrorism court.
Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC-5, who is conducting a trial inside Central Prison, put off hearing till January 15 after the deposition of Raja Mohammed Afzal, who was also cross-examined by the defence counsel.
Two Al Qaeda activists, Anwarul Haq and Usman Ghani, have been charged with the suicidal attack that claimed four lives on March 2 last year when a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden car into the diplomat’s vehicle a few yards away from the US consulate.
The blast that took place in a narrow lane between the Marriott Hotel and the Naval Hospital also left more than 50 people wounded. US Consulate official David Foy, his Pakistani driver Iftikhar and Lance Naik Zafar of Rangers were killed instantly. The body of the suicide bomber, later identified as Raja Mohammed Tahir, was torn to pieces.According to the prosecution, represented by special public prosecutor Naimat Ali Randhawa, the explosive-laden car was parked outside the naval establishment, and when the convoy, carrying the US official appeared, the bomber rammed his vehicle into the bullet-proof car. The vehicle flew into the air before landing across a concrete barrier on the pavement of the Marriot.
The investigation officer, Inspector Tariq, got a clue about the identity of the suicide bomber in August.
Raja Afzal stated that his son, Mohammed Tahir, had left his house in Landhi on March 2 after Fajr prayers and later his family was informed of his death. He said the investigation officer visited his house on Aug 15 and recorded his statement.
Raja Afzal stated that his son had gone to Afghanistan for Jihad thrice and had also remained imprisoned there.
Identifying accused Anwarul Haq, the father of the suicide bomber deposed that the accused visited his house thrice after the disappearance of his son and gave him Rs5,000, Rs8,000 and Rs10,000 during his three visits.
He submitted that the same man contacted his son, Raja Mohammed Idrees, who was a student at Binori Town Madrassah in July last year to tell him that Tahir had embraced martyrdom.
RANSOM CASE: Judge Saghir Hussain Zaidi of the ATC-3 put off the hearing of a ransom and murder case against a woman and a man after recording the statements of two prosecution witnesses.
Saima alias Sobia, cousin of the victim, and her friend, Zaheeruddin, are being prosecuted for kidnapping 17-year-old Syed Furqan Ali for ransom and later killing him on June 2, last year in Korangi Industrial Area police limits.
The judge fixed Friday for the next hearing after the deposition of Sub-inspector Abdul Latif, who had registered the FIR, and Mohammed Osama, who had sold the mobile SIM to accused Zaheer.
According to prosecution, the accused took the victim to Hawkes Bay where they drowned him. The body was later found.
The alleged kidnappers demanded Rs100,000 and $50,000 as ransom for the release of the victim, although they had already drowned him.
The police initially registered the case against unknown kidnappers on the complaint of victim’s brother. Later the police arrested accused Saima as the victim was last seen with her. During interrogation, the woman allegedly disclosed that she had kidnapped and murdered her cousin with the help of Zaheer.
