August 17, 2008	Sunday	Sha'aban 14, 1429

RAWALPINDI, Aug 16: An anti-terrorism court here on Saturday put off the hearing in the case of 12 suspected terrorists arrested for planning to attack important personalities, including President Pervez Musharraf, till August 20 after investigators submitted charge-sheet against the accused.

ATC-II Judge Sakhi Mohammad Kahot adjourned the hearing after an assistant director of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said the challan (charge-sheet) against Intikhab Abbasi, Abid Khan, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Kabir, Qamaruz Zaman, Zafar Ali, Mohammad Zameer, Mohammad Touqir, Mohammad Sajjad, Abdul Sattar, Farhan Mehmood and Rashid Mehmood had been submitted with the court.

The accused were arrested by security agencies on June 1 from Sadiqabad, a densely populated area, and seized three explosive-laden vehicles with over 1,000kg explosives. A case was registered against the accused under sections 4, 5 of Explosive Act, 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of Pakistan Penal Code and section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act with Sadiqabad police station.

According to details, Rawalpindi police along with other security agencies cordoned off an area in Dhoke Kala Khan and carried out an early morning search on a tip-off and seized three explosive-laden vehicles and arrested six men. Other arrests were made on the information obtained from the already arrested men.

According to Adviser to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman A. Malik, three of the 12 arrested men were suicide bombers and could have targeted sensitive places and important personalities in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Meanwhile, a magistrate directed Civil Lines police to carry out a medical examination of a man who had alleged that he had been tortured by the police after being arrested on charges of dealing in liquor business.

Raja Zubair advocate, representing the accused Arshad, told Dawn that Judge Touseerur Rehman directed the investigation officer to get medical examination done on the accused and submit the report on August 22. The court sent Arshad to Adiala Jail on 14 days judicial remand.

The lawyer said the court granted bail to two women -- Zahida Perveen, sister of Arshad, and his sister-in-law Noreen -- in the case against Rs30,000 surety bonds each. They had allegedly been arrested for possessing liquor.

The lawyer claimed that Arshad was bleeding from his head when he was produce in the court and his left foot was fractured due to police torture.