ATC acquits three terror suspects for lack of evidence

Counter-terrorism department claimed the three men had been arrested with explosive devices


Our Correspondent November 03, 2018
PHOTO: FILE PHOTO

PESHAWAR: An anti-terrorism court on Friday acquitted three alleged terrorists.

The counter-terrorism department (CTD) of the police had claimed that the three men had been arrested with explosive devices.

The CTD had on September 27, 2017, claimed to have apprehended Munir Shakir, Arif and Faridoon near the Mathra area of Peshawar. They had further claimed that officials had recovered 25 kilogrammes of explosive devices, safety fuses, detonators and detonation cords from their possession.

The police had claimed that all three men were affiliated with a banned organisation and were booked for terrorism under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Shabier Hussain Gigyani, the lawyer for the accused, told the court that there were glaring contradictions in the statements of witnesses and was in conflict with the Bomb Disposal Unit’s report. Moreover, one of the accused, Munir, had been in illegal detention for since July 7, 2017, before the CTD claimed that he was arrested with explosives.

Curiously, a petition against Munir’s detention had been filed by his brother before the high court long before he was implicated in the case.

Based on these arguments and owing to lack of concrete evidence and contradictions in the statements and records of the CTD officials, the court decided to release the suspects.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3rd, 2018.

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