ATTOCK, Aug 25:  The district police on Saturday said the mastermind of Kamra airbase attack was an ex-civilian employee of an organisation in Wah cantonment and the resident of Taxila.

The police have so far identified three of the nine militants including the mastermind, who were killed in the operation, District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Hilal Khan said adding the police had almost finalised investigation into the August 16 attack on the airbase.Talking to Dawn, he said the police had also arrested one of the high profile suspects, who is also an ex-serviceman and associated with the nursing profession.

The suspect provided a major breakthrough in the investigation as he was a close friend of the mastermind, Faisal Shehzad, the police officer added.

Replying to a question, the DPO said the three militants were identified through the record of National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) after their thumbs impressions and fingerprints, sent by the forensic teams of police and Federal Investigation Authority (FIA), tallied with their record.

As per Nadra’s record, the three militants identified as 32-year-old Faisal Shehzad, resident of Muhallah Muhajir, Taxila, Mohammad Anis, resident of Kasur district and Taimoor Butt, resident of Sialkot district, he said.

Giving details of the investigation, the DPO said that  Faisal Shehzad had left the organisation some seven years back.

Later, he established links with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the DPO said adding the police had arrested him for his involvement in two suicidal attacks outside Pakistan Ordnance Factory (POF)  Wah on  Aug 21, 2008 in which at least 70 people were killed and about 80 others injured. But later he was released by the police apparently for want of evidence, he said adding efforts are under way to identify six other militants.

Meanwhile, sources said besides Attock district police, other sensitive security  agencies have so far picked up 40 high profile suspects for their direct or indirect involvement in Karma incident.

However, the security agencies have not shared any details with the district police.

Moreover, the Air Chief has already  set up a five-member board of inquiry (BOI) under the supervision of Air Marshal Syed Athar Hussain Bukhari  to investigate the incident.