LAHORE, June 26: The Punjab police on Wednesday released about 20 of the 100 people arrested on Sunday on suspicion of being activists of the banned militant organizations.

District police officer Javed Noor, however, confirmed only that “a few” had been freed. A decision about the rest would be taken in a couple of days.

Mr Noor categorically denied an FBI role in the operation. He also said none of those arrested belonged to Al-Qaeda. “They all belong to local organizations,” he said.

“We had information that they were up to something,” he explained, adding that the law enforcement agencies had succeeded thwarting their designs. The arrests were made in an operation carried out jointly by the Punjab and Sindh police, the Elite Police and some intelligence agencies.

Fifty-two people, mainly from the Lashkar-i-Jhangvi and the Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan, were said to have been picked up from Lahore in raids on seminaries, mosques, offices and residences of the known or suspected members of the banned outfits. The rest were rounded up from other parts of the province.

Police sources said the arrested men were being questioned by various law enforcement agencies, mainly the Punjab and Sindh police. No case has so far been registered against them. Sources said senior police officers were discussing their detention and prosecution with the Law Department.