ISLAMABAD, Aug 29: A teenage boy was arrested in connection with the Bhara Kahu suicide attack case on Thursday.

The investigators of the attack on Ali Masjid on August 9 identified the accused as Anwar Hamid, 16, a brother of the 22-year-old Mohammad Ibrar, the alleged mastermind of the terrorist attack.

The police got information that Hamid had been spotted in Bhara Kahu where his family lived. A raid was conducted in the locality which led to his arrest.

It may be recalled that on Eidul Fitr a gunman, later identified as Zakaullah, opened fire outside the mosque and tried to explode his suicide jacket after entering the premises.

However, a security guard in the mosque shot him dead.

Police later arrested Hidayatur Rehman, 28, a native of Kurram Agency, for allegedly facilitating the attacker.

Besides, Mohammad Saddam, 19, of South Waziristan, Mohammad Wali, 22, an Afghan national, and Yasin Farooq, 14, also a native of South Waziristan, are in the police custody. An 18-year-old girl identified as Mehwish has also been arrested on the charge of providing information about the mosque to the terrorists.

Ibrar, Ilyas, 28, of Kurram Agency, and Noor Mohammad, 22, all activists of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TPP), who were the mastermind and planner of the attack, escaped from the city after the incident.

According to the police, Hamid was involved in transporting the suicide jacket materials along with Noor Mohammad from Kurram Agency to Islamabad in a public transport on August 2.

The police said the three terrorists were now staying at Sadda town near Parachinar. A request has been sent to the political agent of the area to help the police arrest the culprits.

The plan to target Ali Masjid was conceived by Ibrar and Noor while Saddam and Wali were deputed to conduct the reconnaissance of the mosque.

Mehwish, a girlfriend of Saddam, lived near the mosque and was tasked with sharing information about the mosque with the terrorists.

According to the police, on August 5, Noor went to Kohat to bring the bomber, who had been transported there from Kurrum Agency by Ilyas.

The same night, Noor and Ilyas brought Zakaullah to Bhara Kahu where he stayed at the house of Ibrar. On July 8, Noor, Wali and Saddam took Zakaullah to the streets near the mosque and showed him the target of their attack.

Later, a telephonic message was conveyed to Ibrar in Kurram Agency. It was decided that the suicide attack would be carried out on the mosque during the Eidul Fitr congregation.

Noor recorded a final video message of the bomber for his family. The bomber was given a copy of Quran to recite from and a piece of paper and pen to pen down a final message for his family.

The videotaped message and the suicide notes along with the original national identity card of Zakaullah were handed over to Saddam to hand it over to his family.

The same evening, the bomber was taken to the house of Hidayat at Bhara Kahu where Noor and Saddam prepared the suicide jacket.

At around 6:30am on August 9, Noor and Saddam went out to check the security around the mosque and saw heavy contingent of the police and private guards.

As a result, they aborted the plan to strike the Eid gathering. Finally, the bomber was sent to target the mosque during Friday prayers.

But due to a miscalculation of the timings, when the bomber arrived at the mosque the Friday prayers had already concluded.

After opening fire into the air when the attacker entered the mosque his suicide jacket did not explode. In the meantime he was shot dead by a security guard of the mosque.

Opinion

Enter the deputy PM

Enter the deputy PM

Clearly, something has changed since for this step to have been taken and there are shifts in the balance of power within.

Editorial

All this talk
Updated 30 Apr, 2024

All this talk

The other parties are equally legitimate stakeholders in the country’s political future, and it must give them due consideration.
Monetary policy
30 Apr, 2024

Monetary policy

ALIGNING its decision with the trend in developed economies, the State Bank has acted wisely by holding its key...
Meaningless appointment
30 Apr, 2024

Meaningless appointment

THE PML-N’s policy of ‘family first’ has once again triggered criticism. The party’s latest move in this...
Weathering the storm
Updated 29 Apr, 2024

Weathering the storm

Let 2024 be the year when we all proactively ensure that our communities are safeguarded and that the future is secure against the inevitable next storm.
Afghan repatriation
29 Apr, 2024

Afghan repatriation

COMPARED to the roughshod manner in which the caretaker set-up dealt with the issue, the elected government seems a...
Trying harder
29 Apr, 2024

Trying harder

IT is a relief that Pakistan managed to salvage some pride. Pakistan had taken the lead, then fell behind before...