Behind bars: CTD arrests four ‘militants’

KARACHI: The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed on Friday to have arrested four suspected militants belonging to a banned organisation in joint raids with intelligence agencies in different parts of the city.

According to SSP Junaid Ahmed Shaikh, who is incharge of CTD Operation 11, the four suspects were identified as Hafiz Noor alias Noor Ghausia, Zakariya alias Muawiya, Muzaffar Ashiq alias Kaaji and Moiz.

The arrested men obtained their militant training in Afghanistan and have been involved in Shia targeted killings and attacks on the Pakistan Army, claimed SSP Shaikh, adding that each of them was an expert of a specific operation.

Noor was an expert in making suicide vests and other bombs, Zakariya was a recruiter for alQaeda in the Indian Subcontinent and a facilitator in terrorist activities and Ashiq collected funds for a banned organisation and allegedly targeted two people in 2014 while Moiz also committed killings along with providing arms and ammunition to other militants, said the SSP.

The police also recovered one suicide vest, four hand grenades, three pistols and bullets from the possession of the suspects. The raids were conducted in Korangi, Bilal Colony and Orangi Town.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2016.