An intelligence agency recently intercepted a call, made to an alleged terrorist commander in Khyber Agency, by two men being held at Kot Lakhpat Jail.
The terrorists were identified, in the intelligence agency’s report, as Ibrahim Ilyas and Qari Waqas. They were part of a terrorist plan in 2008, which targeted the then president, General (retired) Pervez Musharraf. The two were shifted to Kot Lakhpat Jail from Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi two months ago because of security concerns.
The call raised concerns because four circulars have been sent to jail authorities by the Ministry of Interior and Home Department in this regard, this year alone. The ministry and the department, in these circulars, asked jail authorities to make sure that jammers were installed in all jails, particularly the areas where high-profile terrorists are kept, so they are not able to communicate with anyone outside.
(Read: Prison talk - Communication made easy)
According to the report, Waqas and Ilyas made a call to a man identified as Babar on October 21. The commander reportedly told them that suicide bombers had entered Lahore, “soon you will get good news”.
Following the call, security was put on high alert across the province.
Mustaq Awan, the jail superintendent, told The Express Tribune said that he was not aware of any such incident. He ruled out the possibility that the terrorists could have made that call. He said that Ilyas and Waqas were being held at a separate compound for high-profile terrorists. There are two mobile jammers installed in that area, he said, adding that a Home Department team regularly visited the jail to ensure that the jammers were working.
A copy of the report relating to recent conversation was also sent to the inspector general of police.
Kokab Nadeem Warraich, Inspector General of Prisons, confirmed that the call had been made. “The matter is being investigated and strict action will be taken against those who are found guilty,” he said.
Warraich said that investigators were trying to determine if a technical fault in the jammers had allowed the terrorists to make the call.
(Read: Jailed militants plotting crimes from their ‘cells’)
Published in The Express Tribune, November 4th, 2011.
COMMENTS (8)
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How much does it cost the terrorist organizations to pay off some very underpaid prison staff to turn off the jammers on a schedule?
It's not like it matters. It's just the difference of a few days when they're released and can set it all up in person.
Feel so safe...that criminals can orchestrate terrorist attacks from jail.
You would think that Omer Saeed Sheikh's hoax call to Zardari, this matter would be taken seriously and sealed tight.
I find it hard to believe that the jail authorities cannot stop smuggling of mobile phones into the jail and their subsequent use. Kotlakhpat jail is built like a fortress with guards and checkpoints all over. In fact, just try parking your car near the jail boundary for more than five minutes and someone is sure to appear to interrogate you.
To cover this incompetence, they have installed jammers, paid for with the tax payers' money no doubt. Living close to the area, I also know that these jammers have played havoc with cellphone networks, not only causing inconvenience to users, but also depriving the cellphone companies of revenues, part of which ultimately goes to the government's kitty as tax.
What a pity.
If you can trace a call, there is technology available to trace coordinates of soure and destination. They must be using public networks after all. Are we really serious about catching these guys? If yes, then why was there not arrests after this?
Its the easy solution... !!! “The matter is being investigated and strict action will be taken against those who are found guilty,”
They shouldn't be keeping cell phones in the first place.
With money you can do anything in Pakistan.