GUJRAT: The law-enforcement agencies have taken some more suspects belonging to some banned sectarian outfits into custody for their alleged links with the recently captured militants involved in targeted killings in Gujrat.

The arrested suspects are being quizzed at different locations by the LEAs.

Police have also booked another activist of outlawed Jaish-i-Muhammad for preaching and carrying hate material against national security institutions and allegedly providing logistic support to the militant network for carrying out target killings.

Kunjah police lodged a case against Maulavi Arfan Alvi, a known activist of the outlawed organisation, under Section 9 of the Anti Terrorism Act (ATA) after arresting him a few days ago. The suspect has been sent to the district jail on judicial remand.

Some more arrests have been made by the LEAs from various locations in the district in this connection.

The agencies had launched an operation for tracing those involved in harboring, transporting and financing militant networks in Gujrat.

A senior medical practitioner, Dr Muhammad Aslam, was arrested some two weeks ago in this connection and he too was booked under Section 9 of the ATA.

Jhelum and Gujrat police had jointly captured five suspected militants reportedly involved in six incidents of target killing, kidnapping a British national and then releasing him after receiving Rs3 million as ransom.

In a related development, the district police have sought inclusion of some activists of sectarian and banned outfits into the Fourth Schedule to curtail and monitor their movement as per law.

Sources said the names of some 10 activists of some banned groups had been recommended for their inclusion in the Fourth Schedule while some others may be dropped from the list.

It is learnt that the new list will be presented before the district intelligence committee for issuance of a notification. As per law the name of any suspect can remain in the Fourth Schedule list for a three-year period after which it is decided on the basis of behaviour and activities of a suspect whether to keep him on the list or drop his name.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2014