Apprehended: Suspected suicide bomber held

CHARSADDA:

A suspected suicide bomber was arrested by law enforcement agencies in the crowded Sardheri Bazaar of Charsadda on Wednesday.

A law enforcement official said they were informed about a possible terrorist attack involving a motorcycle. Acting on the information, officials launched a search operation and held a 24-year-old man travelling on a motorcycle in the bazaar. “A pistol, one hand grenade and 2.5 kilogrammes of explosives attached to a vest he was wearing were recovered in the operation,” said the official, adding the man’s identity could not be revealed for security reasons.

The suspected suicide bomber was shifted to an undisclosed location while his motorcycle was confiscated by law enforcement personnel.

Earlier, on July 24, Khazana police arrested a teenage suicide bomber and his accomplice in Maqsoodabad, Peshawar. The would-be bomber, identified as Fazal Shah from Mohmand Agency, was riding a motorcycle with his accomplice Zain Shah when the two were stopped by police. Officials discovered Fazal was wearing a suicide vest and arrested him on the spot.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 1^st, 2013.