Eliminating threats: Huge supply of explosives seized in Jamrud

PESHAWAR/ JAMRUD:

A significant supply of explosives was seized by khasadar officials in Jamrud, Khyber Agency on Saturday.

At around 6:30pm, khasadar officials at a Jamrud check post signalled a mini-truck loaded with several cartons to stop for a routine search. A large supply of explosives was recovered from the vehicle, said Jamrud tehsildar Asmatullah Wazir.

The truck was en route to Landikotal from Peshawar. At least 1,750 kilogrammes (kgs) of explosives were found and three suspected militants were arrested.

The suspects insisted they were supplying the explosive material for commercial activities in Landikotal. However, after inspecting the truck’s contents, bomb disposal squad officials and experts said such explosives were not used in mining operations. “They are used to make homemade bombs,” said tehsildar Wazir. “There are very few mines in Landikotal, and they do not use such explosives.”

Wazir revealed the men were identified as Sattar Khan, Khalid and Mutahir — all residents of Zakha Khel, Landikotal. “The vehicle in which they were supplying the explosives did not have its customs duty paid.” The official added the suspected militants were taken to the Jamrud Jail for further investigations.

Remand for alleged militants

Meanwhile, six suspected militants, including a woman, arrested on Friday by the Chamkani police were remanded in custody by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday.

Police produced the five suspected militants Rohullah, Irfanullah, Asadullah, Kashmir Gul, Ashfaq Ahmad and Munthazira before ATC Judge Anwar Hussain, seeking physical remand.

The ATC judge handed down a five-day physical remand to the five men. Munthazira was remanded for 14 days judicial custody.  The alleged militants were arrested when police raided a house in Tarnab. A bomb weighing around eight kgs and a bag containing seven kgs of explosives were also recovered in the operation. Police claimed the family was involved in several bomb blasts in the area.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 26^th, 2013.