Raid and targeted operation: In Jauhar raid, suspect dies during explosion in his flat

Residents held hostage for eight hours, suspect’s children were inside at the time according to neighbours.

KARACHI: Hundreds of residents of a complex in Gulistan-e-Jauhar were kept hostage for more than eight hours as the Rangers conducted a ‘targeted operation’ there on Friday after they had cordoned off the entire area.

The targeted operation culminated in the death of an alleged terrorist who died in an explosion inside his flat under circumstances best known to the tight-lipped Rangers, who divulged minimum possible details about the case.

According to the Rangers’ version, the suspected terrorist blew himself up when they attempted to arrest him. However, the family denies the man was a terrorist and in fact claims he worked for a private company.

The residents of Rao Israr Heights, a residential building near the infamous Rabiya City, asked why they were kept hostage for more than eight hours until 1pm if the supposed target was just one suspect who died in the explosion that took place at around 4am.

The suspect was identified as Moeedul Islam by his father-in-law, Tanmizuddin, who told The Express Tribune that he had no knowledge about Islam being a terrorist and said that he only knows that his son-in-law worked as a translator for a private company.

Tanmizuddin, who introduced himself as an advocate, said his daughter had separated from Islam one-and-a-half months back. He confirmed that Islam held dual US and Pakistani nationalities. “Since the separation, my daughter and four children were living with me in my house near Baloch Colony,” he said. However, the children had been sent to the father one week back, he added.

When asked about the children, a spokesperson for the Rangers denied that they were being held by them. However, Tanmizuddin, said he had been told by the Rangers that he could pick the children up from them (Rangers) late in the evening.

Shah Faisal SP Chaudhry Asad said the suspect was an American national whose date of birth has been mentioned as July 17, 1974 in his US passport. However Rangers Brigadier Waseem Ayub said he could only confirm that the suspect held a foreign passport. When asked whether the suspect belonged to al Qaeda as reported by some TV channels, Ayub laughed his heart out in response. The suspect lived in flat No. 306 on the third floor of Rao Israr Heights.

The official press release by the Rangers describes the incident in only one line: “Last night, the Pakistan Rangers carried out a raid on a tip-off about the presence of a suspect, however, the suspect blew himself up with the explosive material before he could be apprehended.”

As the paramilitary force continued its eight-hour long targeted operation, no journalists were allowed to enter the premises. However, neighbours told The Express Tribune that they actually heard two explosions.

“The whole building shook by the impact of the blasts that occurred between 3:30 am and 3:45am,” said Shahida, who lives just a floor below. Another neighbor, Shabana Khalid, said the suspect had actually thrown his laptop and mobile phone from the balcony before the explosion. “Moeed’s children were screaming for help and urged people to come to their rescue,” she said.

As the body was taken to Jinnah hospital, there was tension at the Medical Legal Office. Although there were three doctors present, none of them wanted to stray much away from the script that had been handed down to them by the authorities. When asked why a padlock had been placed outside the mortuary when in fact the body of the victim was present inside, medico-legal officer Dr Afzal first said it was shut temporarily because of Friday prayers, but later on he said that the body was taken away by the authorities. “I can only say that the suspect died due to a blast caused by an explosive material,” Dr Afzal told The Express Tribune.  However, sources at JPMC said the lower part of the suspect’s left arm was blown away and there were also wounds to the left side of the body.

Brigadier Ayub told The Express Tribune later in the evening that the suspect died when a grenade exploded in his hand during the raid. A bomb disposal squad official said the grenade was Russian.

Whether the suspect could have survived if he had been brought earlier to the hospital, remains unclear. JPMC officials said the body was brought to the mortuary at least six hours after the incident took place at about 3:40am.  An ambulance that eventually took Moeed to the hospital also said the suspect had already died when they shifted him.

Meanwhile, police said that they had not been informed until 8am. Shahra-e-Faisal duty officer, SI Khalid confirmed that no First Information Report was registered till the filing of this report since Rangers had not yet approached them.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 19^th,  2011.