QUETTA, May 16: Balochistan police have claimed to have traced out the gang involved in an attack on Ashura procession here on March 2 and identified the two terrorists who blew themselves up after firing and throwing grenades.

Provincial police chief Dr Shoaib Suddle told newsmen at a press conference on Sunday that "both the terrorists, Abdul Nabi alias Sajjad and Hidayatullah, were members of the banned Laskhar-i-Jhangvi." They were residents of Balan Shakh in Nasirabad district, he said.

"We also arrested a constable of Quetta Police in connection with the incident," he said. He said two "preparatory meetings" for the attack were held at the residence of Constable Haider Khan Lehri and attended by wanted terrorists Daud Badini and Usman Saifullah.

He said five others who were present in the meetings would be netted soon. "The ISI found a CD in which both the terrorists claimed that they were at war with the Shia community and said they would 'meet in the paradise, after completing their mission," he said.

He said that after the identification through the CDs of the attackers, the police traced out their family members and took their brothers and mothers into custody for questioning, who confirmed that Abdul Nabi and Hidayatullah were missing.

He said blood samples, hair and nails of the terrorists were sent for DNA test, the results of which confirmed their identity. He claimed that police had solved the cases of 10 big terrorist attacks and identified the accused. He said more people would be arrested in this connection soon.

He said it was not possible to guarantee that such incidents would not be repeated but the administration and police would make all possible efforts to protect the worship places.

Provincial Home Minister Shoaib Nausherwani said: "There is no Shia-Sunni conflict in Balochistan." He said the government would fulfil its responsibility of providing protection to the people.

He asked the people of both the communities to keep an eye on strangers who came to the mosques. He said the government was looking into possibilities of installing cameras and other electronic equipment at such places to avert such incidents.

Balochistan Shia Conference president Ashraf Zaidi expressed satisfaction over the performance of police. He expressed the hope that other members of the terrorist gang would be arrested and said his community would cooperate with police in this regard.