QUETTA: Security forces arrested four suspected activists of a banned extremist organisation during a search operation in Sariab area here on Sunday.

Also in the day, police recovered an explosive-laden suicide jacket from an open sewer.

Sources said the Sariab operation was jointly conducted by personnel of FC and police on intelligence about the presence of suspected militants in the area.

Personnel of law-enforcement agencies moved into the area early in the morning, cordoned off Samalani town, searched several houses and picked up four suspects from one of them, security officials said.

Those arrested were handed over to the authorities concerned for interrogation, according to a spokesman for the FC.

In another incident, police recovered an explosive-laden suicide jacket inside from an open sewerage drain in Brewery Road area. Police called bomb experts who defused the explosives. Around 10kg explosives had been packed in the suicide vest, a police official said, adding that the would-be suicide bomber might have dumped the jacket in the Nullah after failing to reach his target because of strict security in the area.

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2014