KARACHI, June 12: Police made a breakthrough in the investigation into suicide bombings in Hyderi mosque and Imambargah Ali Raza, as they arrested a key suspect, who allegedly prepared two suicide bombers for the deadly attacks, Dawn learnt here on Saturday.
"We have arrested Gul Hasan on a lead given by a detained prayer leader of a Baghdadi mosque, Amanullah alias Murtaza. Gul Hasan told us the suicide bomber's name involved in Imambargah blast as Mohammad Ali Memon," an investigator said.
He further disclosed that Gul Hasan was a close aide to Asif Chhotu of the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi. Gul Hasan was also wanted in Suparco killing case, he added.
Six employees of the Space and Upper Atmospheric Research Commission (Suparco) were shot dead on Oct 3, last year by three motorcyclists on Hub River Road near Suparco checkpost when the bus, they were travelling in, was sprayed with bullets. The bus was taking the staff to a mosque and an imambargah for prayers.
Police sources said that the prayer leader, Amanullah alias Murtaza, was picked up by the anti-violent crime cell soon after the Hyderi mosque blast on May 7. He was grilled and later released as innocent. The suspect left Karachi and took shelter in Quetta.
After the suicide attack in Imambargah Ali Raza, Amanullah was again traced and picked up by the Crime Investigation Department. His extensive grilling led the police to the arrest of Gul Hasan, a resident of Lyari.
Sources said that Gul Hasan was an active member of the banned group. They said that he was working in close link with Asif Chhotu, who was already wanted in many terrorism cases carrying head money. At present, they added, he was in custody of CID police, where he was being grilled.
According to the investigation, Mohammad Ali Memon, the bomb carrier, entered the Imambargah Ali Raza on May 31 and blew himself killing at least 18 people. The death toll has risen to 25 so far.
Earlier, a police recruit, Mohammad Akbar Niazi, was blown into pieces when he exploded himself inside the Hyderi mosque during Juma prayers on May 7. The death toll in the incident has risen to 23 so far.
An investigation official said that the explosives used in the two blasts and their impact were similar. He said the police had been questioning him for obtaining more information about Suparco killing and about those involved in it.
Police sources said that it was a major breakthrough and more arrests would hopefully be carried out on a lead to be provided by Gul Hasan.
However, the police have failed to find any clue to the perpetrators of the PACC blasts and the KPT explosion. One policemen was killed and 33 people were injured in PACC blasts while three labourers were killed in the KPT explosion on May 25.
The police were also groping in the dark into the killing of Mufti Nizamuddin Shamzai on May 30.
Besides, the investigation teams appeared helpless in solving the mystery of the attack on Gulistan-i-Jauhar police station. On April 4, around 10 to 12 armed men stormed into Gulistan-i-Jauhar police station and sprayed five policemen with bullets.
Earlier on March 19, a Ranger personnel and a passerby were shot dead and two Rangers were wounded when some unidentified men sprayed their van with bullets beneath the Baloch Colony flyover on Sharea Faisal.
The case of Bible Society blast was also being investigated and its pace was slowed down, as the police have failed to find a headway into the incident. At least 12 people were injured and a dozen of vehicles were damaged in the car bomb explosion followed by a grenade attack with an interval of 15-minutes on Jan 15 in front of the Bible Society.