ISLAMABAD: An Afghan man said to be on a suicide mission was arrested here on Thursday after a brief encounter with security personnel in the suburbs of the federal capital.

According to sources, Matiullah had arrived from Afghanistan via Torkham a few days ago and stayed at a house in Tarnol area. He was reported to be wearing jacket stuffed with about five kilograms of explosives and was planning to attack a 9th Muharram procession near Asna Ashari Imambargah at G-6/2.

The sources said the bomber had been arrested on information provided by an alleged Afghan agent detained by a team of security forces and capital police. Syed Mohammad Abdullah told interrogators that he had brought the bomber from Torkham for attacking the procession.

When security personnel raided the house in Tarnol, Matiullah opened fire at them and tired to escape.

The sources said Abdullah used to work for an Afghan intelligence agency. He had also spied for the French Embassy in Islamabad from 1996 to 2010.

He had been arrested by Khasadars in Khyber Agency in December 2010 when his movement in Wazir Dhand aroused suspicion.

Abdullah was handed over to a joint investigation team comprising officials of the ISI, Intelligence Bureau and police. The report submitted by the team said that he had been involved in spying against Pakistan.

The report said that two cases, one relating to a murder attempt, had been registered against him in the Margalla police station in 2010.

During interrogation Abdullah admitted to have come to Pakistan in late 1970s after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and managed to get an identity card. During his stay here he worked for foreign embassies on different missions, including spying for them.

The report graded him as ‘Black’ — a person found guilty. It described him as “a cunning and devious person who could do anything to harm the integrity of Pakistan for his interest”.

On the basis of the report and after proceedings of a jirga, the political agent of Khyber Agency jailed him for three and seven years on different charges and fined him Rs100,000.

The political agent directed the National Database and Registration Authority to cancel his ID card and take action against people who had helped him to get it.

It is not known how and when he was freed and how he managed to enter Pakistan on Oct 27 this year on a visa (38941-13) issued on Oct 24 on an Afghan passport (A2007634) issued on Oct 22. The multiple entry visa was for six months.

It may be mentioned that an integrated border management system (IBMS) was installed at the Torkham border last year to prevent entry of terrorists and criminals into Pakistan. The system was linked with Interpol, passport office, Nadra and the Federal Investigation Agency.