PESHAWAR, Sept 1: A suspect trained in making remote-control explosive devices was remanded in the custody of the Crimes Investigation Department (CID) for five days by an anti-terrorism court here on Wednesday.
Officials of the CID claimed that the suspect, Abdul Basit, had links with militants and suicide bombers. The suspect was produced before the court, presided over by Akhter Zareef Khan, after completion of his earlier six days custody with the CID. Strict security measures were adopted by the CID and its officials were encircling the district courts where the anti-terrorism court is situated.
The officials stated that they had been interrogating the suspect and they required his further custody so as to trace out names and addresses of his accomplices. According to the CID, the suspect, who is running a mobile repairing shop, was arrested on Aug 26 when they raided a home in Sheikhabad area here.
The officials were searching for two women suicide bombers who had disappeared from Karachi and are suspected to be present in Peshawar. However, the officials stated that the suspect was there and the women could not be traced.
It is learnt that the investigation agencies have been trying to establish a link between Abdul Basit and two other suspects, arrested a few days ago along with some poisonous chemicals including cyanide.
The said that two suspects, Rehmat Munir and Shah Khalid, were produced before the ATC three days ago and were remanded in the custody of the CID for five days each. They are charged under the Anti-Terrorism Act and Explosive Substance Act.
Relatives of Abdul Basit have disputed the claim of the CID. They stated that he was arrested from Kochi Bazzar area on Aug 7 and not on Aug 26 and was not produced before the court concerned. The news about his arrest by some intelligence agencies had also appeared in various newspapers.
A habeas corpus petition filed against his detention is pending before the Peshawar High Court and is fixed for hearing before a two-member bench on Thursday (today). His brother Abdul Sattar stated that Mr Basit had been kept in illegal detention for many days.