Pre-empting attacks: Two ‘terrorists’ planning to strike in twin cities held

Police conducted the raid on a tip-off and recovered arms from their possession.

RAWALPINDI:

Police prevented a possible terrorist attack by arresting two suspects and recovering weapons from their possession at the Brahma Motorway Interchange late on Monday night.

The weapons included two Kalashnikovs, four hand grenades, eight magazines and 200 bullets. The arrested men have been identified as Usman Liaquat alias Shah Jee and Saqib Ali Shah, alias Hamza, who hails from Garhi Afghana.

The arrested terrorists were linked to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The two were plotting to carry out massive attacks on sensitive installations in twin cities, disclosed DSP Taxila Raja Taifoor Akhtar, while talking to the media on Tuesday.

Acting on a tip-off, a police party intercepted the two suspects at Brahma Interchange. They seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition from the car.

During initial investigations, the police found out that these were high-profile terrorists who had links with TTP.

They had visited sensitive installations in twin cities to target them. To finance their plans, the two were planning to loot an armoured cash van, added DSP Taifoor.

The raiding party comprised SHO Wah Saddar Muhammad Khan, Sub Inspector Muhammad Aslam and others.

Both the terrorists were presented in Anti-Terrorism Court-I by the police amid tight security. The magistrate granted a five-day physical remand of the terrorists.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2012.