August 25, 2008	Monday	Sha'aban 22, 1429

KARACHI, Aug 24: The police on Sunday busted a gang of bandits who, according to police claims, were funnelling funds to the Taliban, generated through robberies and kidnappings for ransom.

The CID police arrested three suspects, identified as Waseem, Tariq and Mudassir, following a shoot-out near Wazir Mansion on Mauripur Road. The police seized two vehicles and three pistols from them. However, five of their associates escaped, police said.

CID SP Fayyaz Khan said the gang was involved in many bank and money-changer heists and kidnappings for ransom. In the cases of kidnappings for ransom, the gang used to collect ransom amounts in the tribal areas from the family members of the victim, police said. All cash generated through these different crimes was being sent to the tribal areas to their contacts in the Taliban, the SP said.

Citing a recent case of kidnapping for ransom, the SP said the gang, in collaboration with the Taliban, kidnapped a person, Lester Logo, in the Cantonment area of Karachi and received a Rs900,000 ransom in Peshawar. Subsequently, the money was sent onwards into the tribal area, the SP said.

However, the SP said the gangs were composed of criminals who had apparently developed sympathies for the Taliban after coming into contact with them.