KARACHI: Police on Thursday claimed to have arrested an Afghanistan-trained militant, said to be an expert in preparing suicide bombers, who was planning to carry out an act of terrorism on the Kamra airbase in Punjab.

Counter-Terrorism Department SSP Junaid Ahmed Shaikh said the police acting on a tip-off arrested Umer Hayat, alias Darvesh, in MPR Colony, Orangi. He was the Ameer (head) of the Tehreek Imarat-i-Islamia Afghanistan and the ‘mastermind’ of terror acts, the officer said.

Speaking at a press conference at his office, the CTD Operations-II SSP said the held suspect had prepared two alleged suicide bombers identified as Raz Mohammed and Taj Mohammed. These suicide bombers were sent to Punjab to carry out a terror attack on the Kamra airbase but they failed due to extensive security arrangements there and returned to Karachi.

The suspect was also planning to carry out terrorist attacks at Eidgahs in Karachi during Eidul Azha. He was also planning to attack military installations in the metropolis.

“He is an expert in preparing suicide jackets and brainwashing suicide bombers,” said the CTD officer.

He got training from Afghanistan and remained associated with Afghan Taliban. He was allegedly involved in killing of 140 Afghan soldiers, said the SSP.

The held suspect was also allegedly involved in deadly attacks on law enforcers in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. He hailed from KP and came to Karachi after the devastating 2005 earthquake, said the CTD officer, adding that he was detained under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. His team had 50 members but he had given names of his seven hardcore aides only, as the law enforcers were trying to arrest them to foil their nefarious plots, said SSP Shaikh.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2015

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