ISLAMABAD, March 24: Investigators suspect involvement of the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan’s chief Baitullah Mehsud in Monday’s suicide attack on the offices of police’s Special Branch in Islamabad.

According to sources, preliminarily investigation suggests that the same group of militants had carried out an attack in Rawalpindi on March 16.

The investigators suspected that terrorists had attacked the police intelligence department to avenge the Lal Masjid operation of July 2007, the sources said.

The office of the Anti-Terrorism Squad had also been attacked earlier.

The investigators suspect that the bomber wanted to hit the residential quarters.

The building houses offices of the assistant inspector-general, the superintendent of police and the bomb disposal squad. It also has barracks for 100 policemen.

Most of the personnel have been deputed the president, prime minister, ministers, religious leaders, and at sensitive installations.

“Three men in their 20s wearing shalwar qamiz were spotted walking towards the gate of the headquarters. One of them blew himself up after he was grabbed by a constable, while another escaped.” the sources said. They added that a suspect arrested on the spot might be the third one.

The sources said that the group comprised two suicide attackers and a handler who had escaped.

Some suspects were picked up by law-enforcement agencies on Tuesday.

The explosives were locally made with potassium chlorate weighing four to six kilograms and ball bearings.

The investigation team found a mobile phone and a damaged SIM at the scene and sent them to a laboratory to retrieve data.

Three pieces of a face were also sent to a hospital for reconstruction and a leg suspected to be of the attacker was sent for DNA test.

Efforts were under way to find a hand or finger of the attacker to help identify him.

The sources said a sandal found at the scene was also being analysed.

Sketches of the attacker and his two companions were prepared with the help of witnesses.

A case was registered on a complaint filed by assistant sub-inspector Mohammad Munir against unknown people.

The complainant stated that he heard someone shouting “stop, stop” when he was coming out of a mosque after Isha. He saw the constable capturing a man who suddenly blew himself up.

A constable, Abdul Jabar, stated that he saw three persons walking towards the entrance. A few minutes later, he heard a blast and saw two of them escape.A joint investigation team of police, intelligence agencies and the Federal Investigation Agency, headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operation) Bin Yamin, is investigating the incident.

The team visited the site of the attack with bomb disposal squad’s personnel. The sources claimed that the team had found a significant clue.
Tags: